.IERARY 

CALIFORNIA 


KAHLSEFIN  AND  HIS  MEN  MEET  TYKKER.-PAGE  198. 
(Frontispiece.) 


COLUMBUS^ 


THE 

NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 


OB 


AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS 


BY  E.  M.  BALLANTYNE, 

AUTHOR  OF  "THE  IRON  HORSE,  OR  LIFE  ON  THE  LINE  ;"  "THE  FLOATING  LIGHT  OF  THE 

GOODWIN  SANDS  ;"  "  THE  LIFEBOAT  :  A  TALE  OF  OUR  COAST  HEROES  j"  "  ERLINO 

THE  BOLD  ;  "  "SHIFTING  WINDS  :  A  TOUGH  YARN  ;  "  "  THE  LIGHTHOUSE  : 

BEING  THE  STORY  OF  A  GREAT  FIGHT  BETWEEN  MAN  AND  THE 

SEA;"  "GASCOYNE,"  ETC.  ETC. 


SEith  Illustrations. 


LONDON: 
JAMES  NISBET  &  CO.,  21  BERNERS  STREET. 

1872. 

[All  rights  reserved.] 


EDINBURGH  :  T.  AND  A.  CONSTABLE 
PRINTERS  TO  THE  QUEEN,  AND  TO  THE  UNIVERSITY. 


not" 


PREFACE. 

IT  is  an  interesting  historical  fact  that  America 
was  discovered  by  the  Norsemen  about  five  hun- 
dred years  before  Columbus  crossed  the  Atlantic. 
This  is  not  stated  with  a  view  to  depreciate  the 
fame  of  the  great  man  who  is,  in  the  true  sense 
of  the  term,  the  discoverer  of  America,  and  whose 
honoured  name  that  land  should  have  borne ;  for 
Columbus  not  only  re-discovered  the  New  World 
by  the  force  of  his  genius  and  irrepressible  energy, 
long  after  its  existence  had  been  forgotten,  but  he 
did  so  for  a  noble  purpose — for  the  advancement  of 
geographical  knowledge  and  the  good  of  mankind ; 
while  the  Norsemen  merely  pitched  upon  it  in  the 
course  of  their  wayward  wanderings,  and  cared 
little,  if  at  all,  that  the  world  should  benefit  by 
their  discovery. 

Nevertheless,  it  is  creditable  to  the  "  hardy  Norse- 
men "  that  they  actually  did  discover  America  about 

968 


IV  PREFACE. 

the  year  986,  and  settled  on  its  western  shores  in 
1006.  The  Icelandic  Saga  which  relates  the  fact  is 
well  authenticated.  Those  who  desire  full  informa- 
tion in  regard  to  it  may  consult  Mr.  Laing's  trans- 
lation of  the  "  Heimskringla,  or  Chronicles  of  the 
Kings  of  Norway." 

In  this  tale  I  have  adhered  as  closely  as  possible 
to  the  Saga  in  all  matters  of  importance.  In  regard 
to  minor  details  I  have  drawn,  to  some  extent,  on 
my  own  knowledge  and  personal  experience  of  life 
in  the  wildernesses  of  America. 

U  M.  BL 

EDINBURGH,  1872. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 
CHAP.  I.— THE  CURTAIN  RISES  AND  THE  PLAY  BEGINS,  .          .  1 

H.— STRONG  EMOTIONS  ARE  SUCCEEDED  BY  SUPPER  AND 
FOLLOWED  BY  DISCUSSIONS  ON  DISCOVERY,  WHICH 
END  IN  A  WILD  ALARM  ! 14 

HI.  —DARK  WAR-CLOUDS  LOWER,  BUT  CLEAR  AWAY  WITHOUT 

A  SHOWER— VOICES  AND  LEGS  DO  GOOD  SERVICE,          .        27 

IV.— IMPORTANT     EVENTS     TRANSPIRE,     WHICH    END    IN    A 

VOYAGE  OF  DISCOVERY, 40 

V.— FREYDISSA  SHOWS  HER  TEMPER  AND  A  WHALE  CHECKS 

IT— POETICAL  AND  OTHER  TOUCHES,  ...        50 

VI.— CHANGES  IN  WIND  AND  WEATHER  PRODUCE  CHANGES 
IN  TEMPER  AND  FEELING — LAND  DISCOVERED,  AND 
FREYDISSA  BECOMES  INQUISITIVE,  ....  64 

VII.— SONGS  AND  SAGAS— VINLAND  AT  LAST  !  ...        82 

VIII.— A  CHAPTER  OF  INCIDENTS  AND  EXPLORATION,  IN 
WHICH  A  BEAR  AND  A  WHALE  PLAY  PROMINENT 

PARTS, 95 

IX.  — THE  FIRST  NIGHT  IN  VINLAND, 115 

X.— TAKING  POSSESSION  OF  THE  NEW  HOME,  AN  EVENT 
WHICH  IS  CELEBRATED  BY  AN  EXPLOSION  AND  A 

RECONCILIATION, 124 

XI.— SETTLING  DOWN— HAKE  PROVES  THAT  HIS  ARMS,  AS  WELL 
AS  HIS  LEGS,  ARE  GOOD — A  WONDERFUL  FISHING 
INCIDENT,  WHICH  ENDS  IN  A  SCENE  BETWEEN  FREY- 
DISSA AND  KRAKF,  138 

XII.  — SAGE  CONVERSE  BETWEEN  HAKE  AND  BERTHA— BIARNE 
IS  OUTWITTED— A  MONSTER  IS  SLAIN,  AND  SAVAGES 
APPEAR  ON  THE  SCENE, 155 


VI  CONTENTS. 

PA.GE 

XIII. — A  GREAT  BUT  COMPARATIVELY  BLOODLESS  FIGHT,  WHICH 

ENDS  PECULIARLY,  AND  WITH  SINGULAR  RESULTS,     .    169 

XIV.— THE  FIRST  AMERICAN  FUR-TRADERS—STRANGE  DEVICES 

— ANXIOUS  TIMES  AND  PLEASANT  DISCOVERIES,          .    186 
XV. — GREENLAND  AGAIN — FLATFACE  TURNS  UP,  ALSO  THOR- 
WARD,  WHO  BECOMES  ELOQUENT  AND  SECURES  RE- 
CRUITS FOR  VINLAND,  ...  ...    201 

XVI.— JOYFUL  MEETINGS  AND  HEARTY  GREETINGS,    .       .       .211 

XVII.—  TREATS  OF  THE  FRIENDSHIP  AND  ADVENTURES  OF  OLAF 

AND  SNORRO,  AND  OF  SUNDRY  SURPRISING  INCIDENTS,    226 

XVIII.— ANXIOUS  TIMES— A  SEARCH  ORGANIZED  AND  VIGOROUSLY 

CARRIED  OUT, 246 

XIX.— NEW  EXPERIENCES— DIFFICULTIES  ENCOUNTERED  AND 
OVERCOME — THORWARD  AND  TYRKER  MAKE  A  JOINT 
EFFORT,  WITH  HUMBLING  RESULTS,  .  .  .  .261 

XX.— REMARKABLE  EXPERIENCES  OF  OLAF  AND  SNORRO— THE 

FORMER  SUFFERS  THE  PANGS  OF  REMORSE,  .        .        .    279 

XXI. —REINFORCEMENTS  SENT  OFF  TO  KARLSEFIN — FOES  DIS- 
COVERED IN  THE  WOODS— A  NIGHT  ATTACK,  AND 

OTHER  WARLIKE  MATTERS, 289 

XXH.— HAKE  MAKES  A  BOLD  VENTURE,  BUT  DOES  NOT  WIN— 
THE  NORSEMEN  FIND  THAT  THERE  IS  MANY  A  SLIP 

'TWIXT  THE  CUP  AND  THE  LIP, 308 

XXni.— DIFFICULTIES  REGARDING  INTERCOMMUNICATION— THE 
POWER  OF  FINERY  DISPLAYED — ALSO  THE  POWER  OF 

SONG  AND  SENTIMENT, 325 

XXIV.— THE  BURNING  OF  THE  FORTRESS— A  THREATENED  FIGHT 
ENDS  IN  A  FEAST,  WHICH  LEADS  TO  FRIENDSHIP- 
HAPPY  REUNION  AND  PROPOSED  DESERTION,       .       .    340 
XXV.— THE  FIRST  CONGRESS  AND  THE  LAST  FAREWELL,     .       .    359 
XXVI.— CHANGES  IN  BRATTALID— THE  SCOTS  CONTINUE  TO  PLOT 

AND  PLAN,  .  . 372 

XXVII. — DISAPPOINTMENT   TERMINATES    IN    UNLOOKED-FOR  SUC- 
CESS, AND  THE  SAGA  COMES  TO  AN  END,      .          .          .382 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTBATTONS. 

KARLSEFIN  AND  HIS  MEN  MEETING  TYRKER 

(p.  128), Frontispiece 

VIGNETTE  TITLE. 

THE  SKRAELINGERS  APPROACHING,    .        .     facing  page  33 

A  NATIVE  OF  THE  LAND  DISCOVERED,       ...        104 

THE  FIRST  NIGHT  IN  VINLAND, 122 

A  NATIVE  PAINTER, 283 


THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST; 

OB 

AMEEICA  BEFOEE  COLUMBUS. 
CHAPTEE  L 

THE  CURTAIN  BISES  AND  THE  PLAT  BEGINS. 

ONE  fine  autumn  evening,  between  eight  and  nine 
hundred  years  ago,  two  large  hairy  creatures,  bear- 
ing some  resemblance  to  polar  bears,  might  have 
been  seen  creeping  slowly,  and  with  much  caution, 
toward  the  summit  of  a  ridge  that  formed  a  spur 
to  one  of  the  ice-clad  mountains  of  Greenland.  The 
creatures  went  on  all-fours.  They  had  long  bodies, 
short  legs,  shorter  tails,  and  large  round  heads. 

Having  gained  the  top  of  the  ridge  they  peeped 
over  and  beheld  a  hamlet  nestled  at  the  foot  of  a 
frowning  cliff,  and  at  the  head  of  a  smiling  inlet. 
We  use  these  terms  advisedly,  because  the  cliff,  being 
in  deep  shadow,  looked  unusually  black  and  for- 
bidding, while  the  inlet,  besides  being  under  the 
A 


2  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

influence  of  a  profound  calm,  was  lit  up  on  all  its 
dimples  by  the  rays  of  the  setting  sun. 

The  hamlet  consisted  of  one  large  cottage  and 
half  a  dozen  small  cots,  besides  several  sheds  and 
enclosures  wherein  were  a  few  sleepy-looking  sheep, 
some  lean  cattle,  and  several  half- starved  horses. 
There  was  active  life  there  also.  Smoke  issued 
from  the  chimneys  ;  fresh-looking  women  busied 
themselves  about  household  work ;  rosy  children 
tumbled  in  and  out  at  the  doors,  while  men  in  rough 
garments  and  with  ruddy  countenances  mended 
nets  or  repaired  boats  on  the  shore.  On  a  bench 
in  front  of  the  principal  cottage  sat  a  sturdy  man, 
scarcely  middle-aged,  with  shaggy  fair  and  flowing 
locks.  His  right  foot  served  as  a  horse  to  a  rap- 
turous little  boy,  whose  locks  and  looks  were  so  like 
to  those  of  the  man  that  their  kinship  was  obvious 
— only  the  man  was  rugged  and  rough  in  exterior ; 
the  boy  was  round  and  smooth.  Tow  typified  the 
hair  of  the  man  ;  floss  silk  that  of  the  boy. 

Everything  in  and  around  the  hamlet  bore  evi- 
dence of  peace  and  thrift.  It  was  a  settlement  of 
Norsemen — the  first  Greenland  settlement,  esta- 
blished by  Eric  the  Eed  of  Iceland  about  the  year 
986 — nearly  twenty  years  before  the  date  of  the 
opening  of  our  tale — and  the  hairy  creatures  above 
referred  to  had  gone  there  to  look  at  it. 

Having  gazed  very  intently  over  the  ridge  for 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  3 

a  considerable  time,  they  crept  backwards  with 
extreme  caution,  and,  on  getting  sufficiently  far 
down  the  hill-side  to  be  safe  from  observation,  rose 
on  their  hind  legs  and  began  to  talk ;  from  which 
circumstance  it  may  be  concluded  that  they 
were  human  beings.  After  talking,  grinning, 
and  glaring  at  each  other  for  a  few  minutes,  with 
gestures  to  correspond,  as  though  on  the  point  of 
engaging  in  mortal  combat,  they  suddenly  wheeled 
about  and  walked  off  at  a  rapid  pace  in  the  direction 
of  a  gorge  in  the  mountains,  the  head  of  which  was 
shut  in  by  and  filled  up  with  cliffs  and  masses  and 
fields  of  ice  that  overtopped  the  everlasting  hills, 
and  rested  like  a  white  crest  on  the  blue  sky.  Vast 
though  it  seemed,  this  was  merely  a  tongue  of  those 
great  glaciers  of  the  mysterious  North  which  have 
done,  and  are  still  doing,  so  much  to  modify  the 
earth's  economy  and  puzzle  antiquarian  philosophy ; 
which  form  the  fountain-head  of  influences  that 
promote  the  circulation  of  the  great  deep,  and  con- 
stitute the  cradle  of  those  ponderous  icebergs  that 
cover  the  arctic  seas. 

From  out  that  gloomy  gorge  a  band  of  more  than 
a  hundred  hairy  creatures  issued  with  wild  shouts 
and  upraised  arms  to  welcome  back  the  adventurous 
two.  They  surrounded  them,  and  forthwith  the 
nation — for  the  entire  nation  was  evidently  there 
— held  a  general  assembly  or  parliament  on  the 


4  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

spot.  There  was  a  good  deal  of  uproar  and  con- 
fusion in  that  parliament,  with  occasional  attempts 
on  the  part  of  several  speakers  to  obtain  a  hearing 
at  one  and  the  same  time — in  which  respects  this 
parliament  bore  some  resemblance  to  civilized  assem- 
blies of  the  present  day.  There  was  also  an  im- 
mense amount  of  gesticulation  and  excitement. 

At  last  there  uprose  a  man  clad  in  garments  that 
had  once  belonged  to  a  seal,  and  with  a  face  that 
was  quite  as  round  and  nearly  as  flat  as  a  frying- 
pan.  He  stood  fully  half  a  foot  higher  than  the 
tallest  of  his  fellows.  Like  the  adventurous  two  he 
had  a  tail — a  very  short  tail— to  his  coat ;  but  in- 
deed this  might  be  said  of  all  the  men  of  the  tribe. 
The  women's  tails,  however,  were  long.  Perhaps 
this  was  meant  as  a  mark  of  distinction,  for  their 
costume  was  so  very  similar  to  that  of  the  men  that 
their  smaller  size  and  longer  tails  alone  marked  the 
difference.  To  be  sure  there  was  additional  pre- 
sumptive evidence  of  their  sex  in  the  fact  that  most 
of  them  carried  babies  in  their  hoods  ;  which  hoods 
were  made  preposterously  large  for  the  express  pur- 
pose of  containing  the  babies. 

To  the  tall  man  with  the  flat  face  the  assembly 
listened  with  eager  looks,  bated  breath,  and  open 
mouths.  What  he  said — who  can  tell?  His  lan- 
guage was  unintelligible  to  civilized  ears.  Not  so, 
however,  his  actions,  which  were  vigorous  and  full 


Oil  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  5 

of  meaning,  and  comprehensible  by  all  nations.  If 
there  be  any  significance  in  signs  at  all  he  began  by 
saying,  "  Hold  your  stupid  tongues  and  /  will  speak." 
This  drew  forth  loud  and  prolonged  applause — as 
consummate  impudence  usually  does.  When  he 
pointed  with  both  hands  to  the  women  and  chil- 
dren, and  spoke  in  tender  tones,  instantly  thereafter 
growling  in  his  speech,  gnashing  his  teeth,  glaring 
fiercely,  waving  one  hand  at  the  surrounding  hills 
and  shaking  the  other,  clenched,  at  the  unoffending 
sea — he  was  obviously  stating  his  grievances,  namely, 
that  the  white  men  had  come  there  to  wrest  from 
him  his  native  hills  and  glaciers,  and  rob  him  of  his 
wife  and  children,  and  that  he  defied  them  to  come 
on  and  do  their  worst,  seeing  that,  in  regard  to  the 
whole  assembled  white  world  in  arms  he'  did  not 
care  a  button — or  a  walrus-tusk,  for  buttons  were 
unknown  to  these  creatures  at  that  time.  When, 
suddenly  changing  his  manner  and  tone,  he  seized  a 
spear,  hissed  his  sentiments  through  his  teeth  with 
great  volubility,  and  made  a  furious  plunge  that 
caused  the  assembly  to  gasp,  and  the  man  nearest 
the  spear  point  to  shrivel  up — what  could  be  his 
meaning  save  that  nothing  short  of  a  hole  right 
through  the  body  of  a  Norseman  could  appease  the 
spirit  of  indignation  that  caused  his  blood  to  boil  ? 
And  when,  finally,  he  pointed  to  the  setting  sun, 
traced  a  line  with  his  finger  from  it  downward  to 


6  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

the  centre  of  the  earth  under  his  feet,  then  shook 
his  spear  wrathfully  toward  the  sea  and  wound  up 
with  a  tremendous  Ho !  that  would  have  startled 
the  echoes  of  the  place  had  there  been  any  there, 
it  was  plain  to  the  meanest  capacity  that  an  attack 
— impetuous  and  overwhelming — was  to  be  made  on 
the  strangers  at  midnight. 

Whatever  were  his  sentiments,  the  assembly 
heartily  appreciated,  applauded,  and  approved  them. 
They  cheered  and  shouted  "  Hear,  hear  "  after  their 
own  fashion,  and  then  the  whole  band  rushed  back 
into  the  mountain  gorge, — doubtless  with  the  intent 
to  gorge  themselves  with  raw  blubber,  prepare  their 
weapons,  and  snatch  a  little  repose  before  issuing 
forth  to  battle. 

But  let  us  return  to  the  Norsemen,  over  whose 
innocent  heads  such  awful  prospects  were  impending. 

The  sturdy  man  with  the  fair  shaggy  locks  was 
Leif,  the  son  of  Eric  the  Eed  of  Iceland.  The  boy 
with  the  silken  curls,  who  rode  on  his  foot  so  joy- 
ously, was  his  son  Olaf. 

Eric  had  died  several  years  before  the  date  on 
which  our  tale  opens,  and  Leif  inherited  his  cottage 
and  property  at  Brattalid  in  Ericsfiord,  on  the  west 
coast  of  Greenland — the  hamlet  which  we  have  al- 
ready described. 

"  Come  now,  Olaf,"  said  Leif,  flinging  the  child 
from  his  foot  to  his  knee,  and  thence  to  the  ground, 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  7 

"  give  me  your  hand ;  we  shall  go  see  how  the  boats 
and  nets  get  on. — Hey  3  there  goes  a  puff  of  wind. 
We  shall  have  more  presently.  He  paused  and 
scanned  the  seaward  horizon  with  that  intent  abs- 
tracted gaze  which  is  peculiar  to  seafaring  men. 
So  long  did  he  gaze,  and  so  earnestly,  that  the  child 
looked  up  in  his  face  with  an  expression  of  surprise, 
and  then  at  the  horizon,  where  a  dark  blue  line 
indicated  the  approach  of  a  breeze. 

"What  do  you  see,  father?"  asked  Olaf. 

"  Methinks  I  see  two  ships,"  replied  Leif. 

At  this  there  came  a  sweet  musical  voice  from  the 
cottage  : — "  Ships,  brother  !  Did  I  not  tell  you  that 
I  had  a  dream  about  two  ships,  and  said  I  not  that 
I  was  sure  something  was  going  to  happen  ? " 

The  speaker  appeared  in  the  doorway,  drying  her 
hands  and  arms  on  a  towel, — for  she  had  been  wash- 
ing dishes.  She  was  a  fair  comely  young  woman, 
with  exceedingly  deep  blue  eyes,  and  a  bright  colour 
in  her  cheeks, — for  women  of  the  richer  class  were 
remarkably  healthy  and  well-made  in  those  days. 
They  did  a  great  deal  of  hard  work  with  their  hands, 
hence  their  arms  were  strong  and  well  developed 
without  losing  anything  of  their  elegance. 

"  You  are  always  dreaming,  widow  Gudrid,"  said 
Leif,  with  a  quiet  smile, — for  he  was  no  believer  in 
dreams  or  superstitions,  in  which  respect  he  differed 
much  from  the  men  and  women  of  his  time;  "  never- 


8  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

theless,  I  am  bound  to  admit  that  you  did  tell  me 
that  '  something '  was  going  to  happen,  and  no  one 
can  deny  that  something  is  about  to  occur  just  now. 
But  your  dream  happened  a  month  or  six  weeks 
ago,  and  the  '  something/  which  you  are  pleased  to 
assume  is  these  two  ships,  is  only  happening  to- 
day. See,  now,  I  can  be  a  more  definite  prophet  than 
thou :  I  will  prophesy  that  Yule  is  coming, — and 
it  will  surely  come  if  you  only  wait  long  enough  ! " 

"  You  are  an  unbeliever,  brother-in-law,"  retorted 
Gudrid,  with  a  laugh;  "but  I  have  not  time  to 
reason  with  you.  These  ships  will  bring  strangers, 
and  I  must  prepare  to  show  them  hospitality. — Come, 
Olaf,  help  me  to  put  the  house  in  order." 

Thus  summoned,  Olaf  followed  Gudrid  into  the 
house  with  alacrity,  for  he  was  passionately  fond  of 
his  pretty  aunt,  who  stood  in  the  place  of  a  mother 
to  him,  his  own  mother  having  died  when  he  was 
an  infant. 

"  But,  aunt,"  said  Olaf,  checking  himself  in  the 
doorway  and  looking  wistfully  back,  "  I  want  to  see 
the  ships  come  in." 

"  You  shall  see  that,  my  son ;  I  will  not  keep 
you  too  long." 

This  was  quite  sufficient.  Olaf  thoroughly  be- 
lieved in  his  aunt's  truthfulness  and  wisdom.  He 
set  to  work  to  assist  in  clearing  away  the  confusion 
— part  of  which,  in  the  shape  of  toys  and  chips, 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  9 

was  of  his  own  creating — and  "became  so  busy  that 
he  almost  forgot  the  ships — at  least  if  he  did  re- 
member them  they  did  not  weigh  heavily  on  his 
mind. 

"  Now,  Olaf,"  said  Gudrid,  going  to  the  window 
when  the  preparations  were  nearly  completed,  "  you 
may  run  down  to  the  shore,  for  the  ships  will  soon 
be  on  the  strand." 

The  boy  waited  no  second  bidding,  you  may  be 
sure.  He  flew  out  of  the  house,  and  to  his  great 
surprise  beheld  the  two  ships — which  so  lately  had 
appeared  like  sea-birds  on  the  horizon — coming 
grandly  up  the  fiord,  their  great  square  sails  bulg- 
ing out  before  a  smart  breeze. 

All  the  men  of  the  little  colony  were  assembled 
on  the  shore — all,  at  least,  who  chanced  to  be  at 
home  at  the  time;  but  many  of  the  inhabitants 
were  absent — some  fishing,  some  gone  to  Iceland, 
and  others  on  viking- cruise.  There  were  probably 
about  thirty  men  on  the  sands,  besides  a  good  many 
women  and  children. 

It  must  not  be  supposed,  however,  that  this  was 
the  whole  of  that  Greenland  colony.  It  was  only 
the  part  of  it  that  had  settled  at  Brattalid  in 
Ericsfiord.  There  was  another  portion,  a  few  miles 
distant,  named  Heriulfness,  nearly  as  large  as  that 
of  Ericsfiord,  which  had  been  founded  by  Heriulf,  a 
friend  and  companion  of  Eric  the  Eed.  Heriulf  had 


1 0  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

soon  followed  his  friend  Eric  to  the  grave,  leaving 
the  management  of  the  colony  of  Heriulfness  to 
his  son  Biarne. 

Biarne  had  not  been  present  when  the  two  sails 
were  first  observed,  but  he  chanced  to  come  over  to 
Brattalid  just  before  their  arrival. 

"  What,  ho !  Biarne,"  shouted  Leif,  as  the  son 
of  Heriulf  went  down  to  the  beach,  "come  up 
hither." 

Leif  stood  on  an  elevated  rock  apart,  and  Biarne, 
a  good  deal  excited,  went  up  to  him. 

"  Why,  what  ails  thee  ?"  asked  Leif. 

"  Nothing,"  replied  Biarne,  "  but  I  think  I  know 
whose  ship  that  first  one  is." 

"  Ay !  is  it  the  ship  of  a  friend  or  a  foe  ?" 

"A  friend,"  replied  Biarne — "at  least  he  was  a 
friend  when  I  knew  him  in  Norway,  nigh  twenty 
summers  past,  and  I  did  not  think  him  changeable. 
You  and  I,  Leif,  have  often  sailed  these  northern 
seas  together  and  apart,  but  I  do  not  think  that  in 
all  our  wanderings  either  of  us  has  met  before  or 
since  a  finer  man  than  Karlsefin,  though  he  was  a 
mere  stripling  when  I  knew  him." 

The  Norseman's  eyes  flashed  as  he  spoke  of  his 
friend,  for,  besides  being  a  strong  and  handsome 
man,  he  possessed  a  warm  enthusiastic  heart.  In- 
deed, he  had  been  noted  in  the  settlement  for  the 
strength  of  his  affection  for  his  father  Heriulf,  and 


OH  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  1 1 

his  dutiful  conduct  towards  him  as  long  as  the  old 
man  lived. 

"  Karlsefm,"  repeated  Leif,  musing;  "  I  know  him 
not." 

"  Yet  he  knows  you,"  said  Biarne ;  "  when  I  met 
him  in  Norway  I  told  him  all  about  your  discovery 
of  Vinland." 

"  Nay,  thine  own  discovery  of  it,"  said  Leif. 

"Not  so,"  replied  the  other,  with  a  blush,  in 
which  a  frown  mingled ;  "  I  did  but  look  upon  the 
land — you  went  ashore  and  took  possession." 

"  Well,  if  I  did  so  I  have  not  retained  it,"  replied 
Leif,  with  a  laugh ;  "  but  say,  how  know  you  that 
this  is  Karlsefin's  ship?" 

"  I  know  by  the  cut  of  her  figure-head  and  the 
colour  of  her  sails.  Karlsefin  was  always  partial  to 
stripes  of  white  and  blue." 

"  Well,  it  may  be  as  you  say ;  we  shall  soon  know." 

Thus  saying,  Leif  descended  to  the  beach  as  the 
vessels  approached  and  ran  their  keels  straight  on 
the  sandy  shores  of  the  bay.  There  was  great 
bustle  on  board,  and  there  were  many  men,  besides 
some  women,  who  could  be  seen  looking  over  the 
bulwarks  with  keen  interest,  while  Leifs  men 
brought  planks  with  which  to  make  a  gangway 
from  the  ship  to  the  shore. 

The  ships  which  had  thus  come  to  Greenland  were 
of  the  quaint  build  peculiar  to  the  Norse  vessels 


1 2  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

of  those  days — a  peculiarity  of  build,  by  the  way, 
which  has  not  altogether  disappeared,  for  to  this  day 
the  great  central  mast,  huge  square  sail,  and  high 
prow  may  be  seen  in  the  fiords  of  Norway. 

Each  of  the  vessels  which  now  lay  beached  in 
Ericsfiord  had  a  high  forecastle  and  poop,  with 
figure-heads  on  stem  and  stern-posts  that  towered 
higher  still.  The  ships  were  only  half-decked,  with 
benches  for  numerous  rowers,  and  each  had  a  crew 
of  sixty  men. 

When  the  gangway  was  laid  to  the  leading  ship 
the  first  man  who  descended  to  the  shore  was  of 
striking  appearance.  It  was  not  so  much  that  he 
was  tall  and  strong  enough  to  have  been  a  worthy 
foeman  to  the  stoutest  colonist  in  Ericsfiord,  as  that 
his  demeanour  was  bland  and  courtly,  while  there 
was  great  intellectuality  in  his  dark  handsome 
countenance.  Unlike  most  Norsemen,  his  hair  and 
beard  were  black  and  close-curling,  and  his  costume, 
though  simple,  was  rich  in  quality. 

The  moment  he  landed,  Biarne  stepped  forward, 
exclaiming,  "  Karlsefin !" 

The  stranger's  face  lighted  up  with  surprise  and 
pleasure. 

"Biarne!"  he  said,  seizing  his  hand,  "I  thought 
you  were  in  Iceland." 

"  So  I  was,  but  now  I  am  in  Greenland,  and 
right  glad  to  be  the  first  to  welcome  my  friend." 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  13 

Hereupon  the  two  shook  hands  fervently ;  but, 
not  content  with  this,  they  seized  each  other  in  an 
embrace,  and  their  bearded  mouths  met  with  a 
hearty  masculine  smack  that  did  credit  to  their 
hearts,  and  which  it  might  have  gratified  the  feel- 
ings of  an  affectionate  walrus  to  behold. 


CHAPTER  II. 

STRONG  EMOTIONS  ARE  SUCCEEDED  BY  SUPPER,  AND  FOLLOWED  BY  DIS- 
CUSSIONS ON  DISCOVERY,  WHICH  END  IN  A  WILD  ALARM  ! 

WHEN  Karlsefin  had  been  introduced  to  Leif 
Ericsson,  the  former  turned  round  and  presented  to 
him  and  Biarne  his  friend  Thorward,  the  captain 
of  the  other  ship.  Thorward  was  not  a  tall  man, 
but  was  very  broad  and  stout,  and  had  a  firm  yet 
pleasing  cast  of  countenance.  Both  Thorward  and 
Karlsefin  were  men  of  about  thirty-five  years  of 
age. 

"Are  you  not  on  viking-cruise  ?"  asked  Leif  as 
they  walked  up  to  the  house  together,  while  the 
male  members  of  his  household  and  the  men  of  the 
settlement  assisted  the  crews  to  moor  the  ships. 

"  No  ;  my  friend  Thorward  and  I  are  not  men  of 
war.  "We  prefer  the  peaceful  occupation  of  the  mer- 
chant, and,  to  say  truth,  it  is  not  unprofitable." 

"  I  would  that  more  were  of  your  way  of  think- 
ing," said  Leif.  "  I  do  not  love  the  bloody  game  of 
war,  and  glad  am  I  that  we  have  got  into  a  quiet 
corner  here  in  Greenland,  where  there  is  small  occa- 

14 


AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  15 

sion  for  it.  Biarne,  too,  is  of  our  way  of  thinking, 
as  no  doubt  you  already  know." 

"  He  has  often  told  me  so,  and,  if  I  mistake  not, 
has  feathered  his  nest  well  by  merchanting." 

"  He  has,"  answered  Biarne  for  himself,  with  a 
laugh. 

While  they  thus  advanced,  talking,  little  Olaf  had 
kept  walking  in  front  of  the  tall  stranger,  looking 
up  into  his  face  with  unbounded  admiration.  He 
had  never  before  seen  any  man-  so  magnificent. 
His  father  and  Biarne,  whom  he  had  hitherto  re- 
garded as  perfect  specimens  of  mankind,  were  quite 
eclipsed.  Looking  backward  and  walking  forward 
is  an  unsafe  process  at  any  time.  So  Olaf  found 
it  on  the  present  occasion,  for  he  tripped  over  a 
stone  and  in  falling  hit  his  little  nose  with  such 
violence  that  it  soon  became  a  big  nose,  and  bled 
profusely. 

Karlsefin  picked  him  up  and  set  him  on  his  legs. 
"  My  poor  boy,  don't  cry,"  he  said. 

"  No  fear  of  him  crying,"  observed  Leif ;  "  he 
never  cries, — save  when  his  feelings  are  hurt.  When 
you  touch  these  he  is  addicted  to  blubbering. — Eun, 
lad,  and  Gudrid  will  wash  you." 

Olaf  bounded  into  the  house,  where  he  was  carried 
off  to  a  sleeping -room  and  there  carefully  sponged 
by  the  sympathetic  Gudrid.  "  Oh ! — "  he  exclaimed, 
while  his  face  was  being  washed. 


1 6  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"  Does  it  pain  you  much,  dear  ? "  said  the  pretty 
aunt,  interrupting  him. 

"  Oh ! "  he  continued,  enthusiastically,  "  I  never 
did  see  such  a  splendid  man  before." 

"What  splendid  man,  child?" 

"  Why,  Karlsefin." 

"  And  who  is  Karlsefin  ? " 

"  The  stranger  who  has  come  across  the  sea  from 
Norway." 

"  Indeed,"  said  Gudrid. 

Whether  it  was  the  sound  of  the  stranger's  voice 
in  the  adjoining  room;  or  anxiety  to  complete  her 
hospitable  preparations,  that  caused  Gudrid  to  bring 
her  operations  on  Olaf  to  an  abrupt  termination,  we 
cannot  tell,  but  certain  it  is  that  she  dried  him 
rather  quickly  and  hastened  into  the  outer  hall, 
where  she  was  introduced  to  the  two  strangers  in 
due  form  as — widow  Gudrid. 

She  had  no  difficulty  in  distinguishing  which  was 
Olafs  "splendid  man!"  She  looked  at  Karlsefin 
and  fell  in  love  with  him  on  the  spot,  but  Gudrid 
was  modest,  and  not  sentimental.  It  is  only  your 
mawkishly  sentimental  people  who  are  perpetually 
tumbling  into  love,  and  out  of  it,  and  can't  help 
showing  it.  Cupid  shot  her  right  through  the  heart 
with  one  powerful  dart,  and  took  her  unawares  too, 
but  she  did  not  show  the  smallest  symptom  of 
having  been  even  grazed.  She  neither  blushed  nor 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  17 

stammered,  nor  looked  conscious,  nor  affected  to 
look  unconscious.  She  was  charmingly  natural ! 

But  this  was  not  all :  Karlsefin  also  fell  in  love 
on  the  spot, — over  head  and  ears  and  hair,  and  hat 
to  boot ;  neither  did  he  show  sign  of  it !  After  the 
trifling  ceremonies  usual  on  an  introduction  were 
over,  he  turned  to  continue  his  conversation  with 
Leif  and  paid  no  further  attention  to  Gudrid,  while 
she  busied  herself  in  preparing  supper.  It  is  true 
that  he  looked  at  her  now  and  then,  but  of  course 
he  looked  at  everybody,  now  and  then,  in  the  course 
of  the  evening.  Besides,  it  is  well  known  what  is 
said  about  the  rights  of  the  feline  species  in  refer- 
ence to  royalty.  At  supper  Gudrid  waited  on  the 
guests,  Karlsefin  therefore,  necessarily  paid  her  some- 
what more  attention  in  accepting  her  civilities,  but 
Thorward  was  quite  as  attentive  as  he,  so  that  the 
most  sharp-witted  match-maker  in  the  world  would 
have  failed  to  note  any  symptom  of  anything  what- 
ever in  regard  to  either  of  them. 

Gudrid  felt  this  a  little,  for  she  was  accustomed 
to  admiration  from  the  young  men  of  Ericsfiord  and 
Heriulfness,  and,  you  know,  people  don't  like  to 
want  what  they  are  accustomed  to.  What  Karlsefin 
thought,  he  did  not  show  and  never  mentioned, 
therefore  we  cannot  tell 

Now,  good  reader,  pray  do  not  run  away  with  the 
notion  that  this  love  affair  is  the  plot  on  which  the 

B 


18  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

story  is  to  hinge !  Nothing  of  the  kind.  It  ran  its 
course  much  more  rapidly,  and  terminated  much 
more  abruptly,  than  you  probably  suppose — as  the 
sequel  will  show. 

During  supper  there  was  not  much  conversation, 
for  all  were  hungry,  but  afterwards,  when  cans  of 
home-brewed  ale  were  handed  round,  the  tongues 
began  to  move.  Leif  soon  observed  that  Karlsefin 
merely  sipped  his  beer,  but  never  once  drank. 

"You  do  not  drink,"  he  said,  pushing  a  large 
silver  tankard  towards  Mm ;  "  come,  fill  up." 

"  Thanks,  I  drink  but  sparingly,"  said  Karlsefin, 
taking  up  the  large  tankard  and  admiring  the  work- 
manship. 

"  In  good  sooth  ye  do,"  cried  Biarne,  with  a  laugh ; 
"  a  mouse  could  hardly  slake  his  thirst  with  all  that 
you  have  yet  imbibed." 

"  I  have  been  so  long  at  sea,"  rejoined  Karlsefin, 
smiling,  "  that  I  have  lost  my  relish  for  beer.  We 
had  nothing  but  water  with  us.  Where  got  you 
this  tankard,  Leif,  it  is  very  massive  and  the  work- 
manship such  as  one  seldom  meets  with  save  in 
kings'  houses  ? " 

"  It  belonged  to  a  king ! "  replied  Leif,  with  a  look 
of  pride.  "  Good  King  Olaf  Tryggvesson  gave  it  to 
me  on  an  occasion  when  I  chanced  to  do  him  some 
small  service.  Many  winters  have  passed  since 
then." 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  19 

"  Indeed,  Leif !  then  you  must  be  a  favourite  with 
King  Olaf,"  exclaimed  Karlsefin,  "  for  I  am  the 
bearer  of  another  gift  to  you  from  his  royal  hand." 

"  To  me  r 

"  Ay.  Hearing  that  I  meant  to  sail  over  to  Green- 
land this  summer,  he  asked  me  to  bear  you  his  re- 
membrances, and  gave  me  two  slaves  to  present  to 
you  in  token  of  his  continued  friendship." 

Leif  s  face  beamed  with  satisfaction,  and  he  imme- 
diately filled  and  quaffed  a  bumper  of  ale  to  King 
Olaf 's  health,  which  example  was  followed  by  Biarne 
and  the  guests,  as  well  as  by  the  housecarles  who  sat 
on  benches  in  various  parts  of  the  hall  drinking  their 
ale  and  listening  to  the  conversation.  Even  little 
Olaf — who  had  been  named  after  the  king  of  Nor- 
way— filled  his  tankard  to  the  brim  with  milk,  and 
quaffed  it  off  with  a  swagger  that  was  worthy  of  a 
descendant  of  a  long  line  of  sea-kings,  who  could 
trace  their  lineage  back  to  Odin  himself. 

"  The  slaves,"  continued  Karlsefin,  "  are  from  the 
land  of  the  Scots.  Wouldst  like  to  see  a  Scots-man, 
Gudrid?"  he  added,  turning  to  the  widow  who  sat 
near  him. 

"  I  should  like  it  much.  I  have  heard  of  the  Scots 
in  Iceland.  Tis  said  they  are  a  well-favoured  race, 
stout  warriors,  and  somewhat  fond  of  trading." 

Leif  and  Biarne  both  laughed  loud  and  long  at 
this. 


20  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"In  good  truth  they  are  a  stout  race,  and  fight 
like  very  wild-cats,  as  Biarne  and  I  can  testify  ;  as 
to  their  being  well-favoured,  there  can  be  no  ques- 
tion about  that ;  though  they  are  rather  more  rugged 
than  the  people  farther  south,  and — yes,  they  are  good 
traders,  and  exceedingly  cautious  men.  They  think 
well  before  they  speak,  and  they  speak  slowly— some- 
times they  won't  speak  at  all.  Ha !  ha !  Here,  I 
drink  to  the  land  of  the  Scot.  It  is  a  grand  good 
land,  like  our  own  dear  old  Norway." 

"Brother-in-law,"  exclaimed  Gudrid,  reproach- 
fully, "  do  you  forget  that  you  are  an  Icelander?" 

"  Forget !"  exclaimed  Leif,  tossing  back  his  yellow 
locks,  and  raising  the  tankard  again  to  pledge  his 
native  land ;  "  no,  I  shall  only  forget  Iceland  when 
I  forget  to  live ;  but  I  don't  forget,  also,  that  it  is 
only  about  130  years  since  my  great-grandfather 
and  his  companions  came  over  from  Norway  to 
Iceland.  Before  that  it  was  an  unpeopled  rock 
in  the  Northern  Sea,  without  name  or  history.1 
'Twas  as  little  known  then  as  Vinland  is  known 
now." 

"  By  the  way,  Biarne,"  said  Karlsefin,  turning  to 
his  friend,  "the  mention  of  Vinland  reminds  me 
that,  when  you  and  I  met  last,  you  did  not  give  me 
a  full  account  of  that  discovery,  seeing  that  you 
omitted  to  mention  your  own  share  in  it.  Tell 

1  Iceland  was  colonized  by  Norsemen  about  the  year  874. 


OK  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  21 

me  how  was  it,  and  when  and  where  was  it  ?  Nay, 
have  I  unintentionally  touched  on  a  sore  point?" 
he  added,  on  observing  a  slight  shade  of  annoyance 
pass  over  Biarne's  usually  cheerful  countenance. 

"  He  is  a  little  sore  about  it/'  said  Leif,  laughing. 
"  Come,  Biarne,  don't  be  thin- skinned.  You  know 
the  saying,  A  dutiful  son  makes  a  glad  father.  You 
had  the  best  of  reasons  for  acting  as  you  did." 

"Ay,  but  people  don't  believe  in  these  best  of 
reasons,"  retorted  Biarne,  still  annoyed,  though 
somewhat  mollified  by  Leif  s  remarks. 

"  Never  mind,  'tis  long  past  now.  Come,  give  us 
the  saga.  'Tis  a  good  one,  and  will  bear  re-telling." 

"  Oh  yes,"  exclaimed  Olaf,  with  sparkling  eyes, 
for  the  boy  dearly  loved  anything  that  bore  the 
faintest  resemblance  to  a  saga  or  story,  "tell  it, 
Biarne." 

"  Not  I,"  said  Biarne ;  "  Leif  can  tell  it  as  well  as 
I,  if  he  chooses." 

"Well,  I'll  try,"  said  Leif,  laying  his  huge  hand 
on  the  table  and  looking  earnestly  at  Karlsefin  and 
Thorward.  The  latter  was  a  very  silent  man,  and 
had  scarcely  uttered  a  word  all  the  evening,  but  he 
appeared  to  take  peculiar  interest  in  Vinland,  and 
backed  up  the  request  that  Leif  would  give  an  ac- 
count of  its  discovery. 

"About  twenty  summers  ago/'  said  Leif,  "my 
father,  Eric  the  Eed,  and  his  friend  Hermlf,  Biarne's 


22  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

father,  came  over  here  from  Iceland.1  Biarne  was  a 
very  young  man  at  the  time — little  more  than  a 
boy — but  he  was  a  man  of  enterprise,  and  fond  of 
going  abroad,  and  possessed  a  merchant- ship  of  his 
own  with  which  he  gathered  wealth,  and,  I  will  say 
it,  reputation  also — though  perhaps  I  should  not  say 
that  to  his  face. 

"  He  was  a  good  son,  and  used  to  be  by  turns 
a  year  abroad  and  a  year  with  his  father.  He 
chanced  to  be  away  in  Norway  when  Heriulf  and 
my  father  Eric  came  over  to  Greenland.  On  re- 
turning to  Iceland  he  was  so  much  disappointed  to 
hear  of  his  father's  departure  that  he  would  not 
unload  his  ship,  but  resolved  to  follow  his  old 
custom  and  take  up  his  winter  abode  with  his 
father.  '  Who  will  go  with  me  to  Greenland  ? '  said 
he  to  his  men.  '  We  will  all  go/  replied  the  men. 
'  Our  expedition/  said  Biarne,  '  will  be  thought 
foolish,  as  none  of  us  have  ever  been  on  the  Green- 
land sea  before/  '  We  mind  not  that/  said  the  men 
— so  away  they  sailed  for  three  days  and  lost  sight 
of  Iceland.  Then  the  wind  failed;  after  that  a 
north  wind  and  a  fog  set  in,  and  they  knew  not 
where  they  were  sailing  to ;  and  this  lasted  many 
days.  At  length  the  sun  appeared.  Then  they 
knew  the  quarters  of  the  sky,  and,  after  sailing  a 
day  and  a  night,  made  the  land, 
i  A.D.  986. 


OK  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  23 

"They  saw  that  it  was  without  mountains,  was 
covered  with  wood,  and  that  there  were  small  hills 
inland.  Biarne  saw  that  this  did  not  answer  to  the 
description  of  Greenland ;  he  knew  he  was  too  far 
south,  so  he  left  the  land  on  the  larboard  side,  and 
sailed  two  days  and  nights  before  they  got  sight  of 
land  again.  The  men  asked  Biarne  if  this  was 
Greenland,  but  he  •  said  it  was  not,  '  For  on  Green- 
land/ he  says,  'there  are  great  snowy  mountains, 
but  this  is  flat  and  covered  with  trees/  Here  the 
wind  fell  and  the  men  wanted  to  go  ashore,  '  Be- 
cause/ said  they,  '  we  have  need  of  wood  and  water/ 
Biarne  replied,  '  Ye  are  not  in  want  of  either ;'  and 
the  men  blamed  him  for  this, — but  the  season  was 
far  spent,  he  knew  not  how  long  it  might  take  him 
to  find  Greenland,  so  he  had  no  time  to  spare. — 
Was  it  not  so  ? "  said  Leif,  appealing  to  his  friend. 

"  It  was  so,"  replied  Biarne,  nodding  gravely. 

"Well  then/'  continued  Leif,  "it  must  be  told 
that  he  ordered  them  to  hoist  the  sail,  which  they 
did,  and,  turning  the  bow  from  the  land,  kept  the 
sea  for  three  days  and  nights,  with  a  fine  breeze 
from  the  south-west,  when  a  third  time  land  was 
seen,  with  high  snowy  mountains.  Still  Biarne 
would  not  land,  for  it  was  not  like  what  had  been 
reported  of  Greenland.  They  soon  found  it  to  be  an 
island,  and,  turning  from  it,  stood  out  to  sea,  when 
the  breeze  increased  to  a  gale,  forcing  them  to  take 


24  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

in  a  reef ;  so  they  sailed  for  three  days  and  nights 
more,  and  made  land  the  fourth  time.  This  turned 
out  to  be  Greenland,  and  quite  close  to  Heriulfs 
dwelling  at  Heriulfness.  Biarne  then  gave  up  sea- 
faring, and  dwelt  with  his  old  father  as  long  as  he 
lived ;  but  since  his  death  he  has  been  sometimes  at 
sea  and  sometimes  at  home.  Now,  these  lands  which 
Biarne  discovered,  were  what  I  have  since  called 
Vinland." 

"  Yes,"  exclaimed  Biarne,  with  a  look  of  indigna- 
tion ;  "  and  when  I  afterwards  fared  to  Norway 
they  blamed  me  for  not  going  on  shore  and  explor- 
ing these  lands — as  if  I,  at  the  end  of  autumn,  could 
afford  to  put  off  time  in  explorations,  when  it  was 
all  I  could  do  to  make  my  port  before  the  winter 
set  in  !"  He  finished  off  by  striking  the  table  with 
his  fist,  seizing  his  tankard,  and  draining  it  to  the 
bottom. 

"  I  have  often  observed,"  said  Karlsefin,  quietly, 
"  that  people  who  sit  by  their  firesides  at  home,  and 
do  nothing,  are  usually  very  severe  and  noisy  in 
their  remarks  on  those  who  fare  abroad  and  do 
great  things  ;  but  that  arises  not  so  much  from  ill- 
will  as  ignorance." 

"  But  what  of  your  own  doings,  Leif  ?"  said  Thor- 
ward,  breaking  in  here  impatiently. 

"  Well,  I  didn't  do  much,"  replied  Leif.  "  I  only 
took  possession,  and  didn't  keep  it.  This  was  the 


OK  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  25 

way  of  it.  Fourteen  years  after1  this  voyage  of 
Biarne,  I  was  seized  with  a  desire  to  see  these  new 
lands.  I  bought  Biarne's  ship  from  him,  set  sail 
with  a  good  crew,  and  found  the  lands,  just  as  Biarne 
had  described  them,  far  away  to  the  south  of  Green- 
land. I  landed  and  gave  names  to  some  places.  At 
the  farthest  south  point  we  built  huts  and  spent  the 
winter,  but  returned  home  in  spring.  I  called  this 
part  Yinland,  and  this  is  the  reason  why  :  We  had 
a  German  with  us  named  Tyrker,  who  is  with  me 
here  still.  One  day  Tyrker  was  lost ;  I  was  very 
anxious  about  him,  fearing  that  he  had  been  killed 
by  wild  beasts  or  Skraelingers,2  so  I  sent  out  parties 
to  search.  In  the  evening  we  found  him  coming 
home  in  a  state  of  great  excitement,  having  found 
fruit  which,  he  said,  was  grapes.  The  sight  and 
taste  of  the  fruit,  to  which  he  was  used  in  his  own 
land,  had  excited  him  to  such  an  extent  that  we 
thought  he  was  drunk,  and  for  some  time  he  would 
do  nothing  but  laugh  and  devour  grapes,  and  talk 
German,  which  none  of  us  understood.  At  last  he 
spoke  Norse,  and  told  us  that  he  had  found  vines 
and  grapes  in  great  abundance.  We  found  that  this 
was  true — at  least  we  found  a  berry  which  was 
quite  new  to  us.  We  went  off  next  day,  and, 
gathering  enough  to  load  our  boat,  brought  them 

1  About  the  year  A.D.  1000. 

2  Esquimaux  or  savages,  probably  Indians. 


26  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST. 

away  with  us.  From  this  circumstance  I  called  it 
Vinland.  Two  years  after  that  my  brother  Thor- 
wald  went  to  Vinland,  wintered  three  years  there, 
was  killed  by  the  Skraelingers,  and  his  men  returned 
to  Greenland.  Then  my  youngest  brother,  Thorstein, 
who  was  Gudrid's  husband,  went  off  to  Vinland  to 
fetch  home  the  body  of  our  brother  Thorwald,  but 
was  driven  back  by  stress  of  weather.  He  was  taken 
ill  soon  after  that,  and  died.  Since  then  Gudrid 
has  dwelt  with  my  household,  and  glad  we  are  to 
have  her.  This  is  the  whole  story  of  Vinland ;  so 
if  you  want  to  know  more  about  it  you  must  e'en 
go  on  a  voyage  of  discovery  for  yourself." 

"  I  should  like  nothing  better/'  replied  Karlsefin, 
"  if  I  could  only — " 

At  that  moment  the  door  was  burst  violently 
open,  and  a  man  with  bloodshot  eyes  and  labouring 
breath  rushed  in  exclaiming,  "  The  Skraelinger ! 
the  Skraelinger  are  upon  us  !" 


CHAPTEE    III. 

DARK  WAR-CLOUDS  LOWER,   BUT  CLEAR  AWAY  WITHOUT  A  SHOWER — 
VOICES  AND  LEGS  DO  GOOD  SERVICE. 

"  UP,  carles,  buckle  on  your  war-gear  !"  cried  Leif, 
rising  hastily  on  hearing  the  announcement  with 
which  the  last  chapter  ended. 

"  Run,  Thorward,  call  out  our  men,"  whispered 
Karlsefin ;  "  I  will  stay  to  learn  what  Leif  means  to 
do.  Bring  them  all  up  to  the  door." 

Thorward  was  gone  almost  before  the  sentence 
was  finished.  Leif  and  his  housecarles,  of  whom 
there  were  ten  present  at  the  time,  did  not  take 
long  to  busk  them  for  the  fight.  The  Norse  of  old 
were  born,  bred,  and  buried — if  they  escaped  being 
killed  and  cut  to  pieces — in  the  midst  of  alarms. 
Their  armour  was  easily  donned,  and  not  very  cum- 
brous. Even  while  Leif  was  giving  the  first  order 
to  his  men,  Gudrid  had  run  to  the  peg  on  which 
hung  his  sword  and  helmet,  and  brought  him  these 
implements  of  war. 

"  My  men  and  I  shall  be  able  to  render  you  some 

27 


28  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

service,  Leif,"  said  Karlsefin  ;  "  what  do  you  intend 
to  do  ?" 

"Do  !"  exclaimed  Leif  with  a  grim  laugh,  as  he 
buckled  on  his  sword,  "  why,  I  shall  give  the  Skrae- 
lingers  a  tremendous  fright,  that  is  all  The  rascals  ! 
They  knew  well  that  we  were  short-handed  just 
now,  and  thought  to  take  advantage  of  us ;  but  hah ! 
they  do  not  seem  to  be  aware  that  we  chance  to 
have  stout  visitors  with  us  to-night.  So,  lads,  fol- 
low me." 

Biarne,  meanwhile,  had  darted  out  on  the  first 
alarm,  and  assembled  all  the  men  in  the  settlement, 
so  that  when  Leif,  Karlesfin,  and  the  housemen 
issued  out  of  the  cottage  they  found  about  a  dozen 
men  assembled,  and  others  running  up  every  moment 
to  join  them.  Before  these  were  put  in  array  most 
of  the  men  of  Karlsefin's  ship,  numbering  forty,  and 
those  belonging  to  Thorward,  numbering  thirty, 
came  up,  so  that  when  all  were  mustered  they  were 
little  if  at  all  short  of  one  hundred  stout  warriors. 

The  moon  came  out  brightly  at  the  time,  and 
Leif  chuckled  as  he  watched  Biarne  put  the  men 
hastily  into  marching  order. 

"  Methought  you  said  that  war  was  distasteful," 
observed  Karlsefin,  in  some  surprise. 

"  So  it  is,  so  it  is,  friend,"  replied  Leif,  still  laugh- 
ing in  a  low  tone ;  "  but  there  will  be  no  war  to- 
night. Leave  your  bows  behind  you,  lads,"  he 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  29 

added,  addressing  the  men ;  "you  won't  want  them ; 
shield  and  sword  will  be  enough.  For  the  matter 
of  that,  we  might  do  without  both.  Now,  lads, 
follow  my  leading,  and  do  as  I  bid  you ;  advance 
with  as  little  noise  as  may  be/' 

So  saying,  Leif  led  the  way  out  of  the  little  ham- 
let towards  the  extremity  of  the  ridge  or  spur  of 
the  mountains  that  sheltered  Ericsfiord  from  the 
north-west. 

Towards  that  same  extremity  another  band  of  men 
were  hastening  on  the  other  side  of  the  ridge.  It 
was  a  band  of  our  hairy  friends  whom  the  Norsemen 
called  Skraelingers. 

Truly  there  was  something  grand  in  the  look  and 
bearing  of  the  tall  man  with  the  flat  face,  as  he  led 
his  band  to  attack  the  warlike  Norsemen,  and  there 
was  something  almost  sublime  in  the  savage,  reso- 
lute aspect  of  the  men  who  followed  him — each 
being  armed  with  a  large  walrus  spear,  and  each 
being,  moreover,  an  adept  in  the  use  of  it. 

Flatface  (in  default  of  a  better,  let  that  name 
stick  to  him)  had  ascertained  beyond  a  doubt  that 
the  entire  available  force  of  Norsemen  in  Ericsfiord 
had,  in  consequence  of  fishing  and  other  expeditions, 
been  reduced  to  barely  thirty  fighting  men.  He 
himself  could  muster  a  band  of  at  least  one  hundred 
and  fifty  good  men  and  true — not  to  mention  hairy, 
a  hundred  and  fifty  seals  having  unwillingly  contri- 


30  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

buted  their  coats  to  cover  these  bloodthirsty  Skrae- 
lingers.  The  Norsemen,  Flatface  knew,  were  strong 
men  and  bold,  besides  being  large,  but  he  resolved 
to  take  them  by  surprise,  and  surely  (he  argued  with 
himself)  a  hundred  and  fifty  brave  men  with  spears 
will  be  more  than  a  match  for  thirty  sleepy  men 
unarmed  and  in  bed  ! 

Elatface  had  screwed  himself  up  with  such  consi- 
derations ;  made  a  few  more  inflammatory  speeches 
to  his  men,  by  way  of  screwing  them  up  also,  and 
then,  a  little  before  midnight,  set  forth  on  his  expe- 
dition. 

Now  it  chanced  that  there  was  a  man  among  the 
Norsemen  who  was  a  great  hunter  and  trapper.  His 
name  was  Tyrker — the  same  Tyrker  mentioned  by 
Leif  as  being  the  man  who  had  found  grapes  in 
Vinland.  Leif  said  he  was  a  German,  but  he  said 
so  on  no  better  authority  than  the  fact  that  he  had 
originally  come  to  Norway  from  the  south  of  Europe. 
It  is  much  more  probable  that  he  was  a  Turk,  for, 
whereas  the  Germans  are  known  to  be  a  well-sized 
handsome  race  of  fair  men,  this  Tyrker  was  an 
ugly  little  dark  wiry  fellow,  with  a  high  forehead, 
sharp  eyes,  and  a  small  face  ;  but  he  was  extremely 
active,  and,  although  an  elderly  man,  few  of  the 
youths  in  Ericsfiord  could  beat  him  at  feats  requir- 
ing dexterity. 

But,  whether  German  or  Turk,  Tyrker  was  an 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  31 

enthusiastic  trapper  of  white,  or  arctic  foxes.  These 
creatures  being  very  numerous  in  that  part  of  Green- 
land, he  was  wont  to  go  out  at  all  hours,  late  and 
early,  to  visit  his  traps.  Hence  it  happened  that, 
on  the  night  in  question,  Tyrker  found  himself  in 
company  with  two  captured  arctic  foxes  at  the  ex- 
tremity of  the  mountain  spur  before  referred  to. 

He  could  see  round  the  corner  of  the  spur  into 
the  country  beyond,  but  as  the  country  there  was 
not  attractive,  even  at  its  best,  he  paid  no  attention 
to  it.  He  chanced,  however,  to  cast  upon  it  one 
glance  after  setting  his  traps,  just  as  he  was  about 
to  return  home.  That  glance  called  forth  a  steady 
look,  which  was  followed  by  a  stare  of  surprise,  and 
the  deep  guttural  utterance  of  the  word  "  zz-gran- 
dimaghowl !"  which,  no  doubt,  was  Turkish,  at  that 
ancient  date,  for  "hallo  !" 

It  was  the  band  of  hairy  creatures  that  had  met 
his  astonished  sight.  Tyrker  shrank  behind  the 
spur  and  peeped  round  it  for  a  few  seconds  to  make 
quite  sure.  Then,  turning  and  creeping  fairly  out 
of  sight,  he  rose  and  bounded  back  to  the  hamlet, 
as  though  he  had  been  a  youth  of  twenty.  As  we 
have  seen,  he  arrived,  gasping,  in  time  to  warn  his 
friends. 

Between  the  hamlet  and  the  spur  where  Tyrker's 
traps  were  set  there  were  several  promontories,  or 
projections  from  the  cliffs,  all  of  which  had  to  be 


32  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

passed  before  the  spur  came  in  view.  Leif  led  his 
men  past  the  first  and  second  of  these  at  a  run. 
Then,  believing  that  he  had  gone  far  enough,  he 
ordered  his  band  to  draw  close  up  under  the  cliffs, 
where  the  shadow  was  deepest,  saying  that  he  would 
go  alone  in  advance  to  reconnoitre. 

"  And  mark  me,  lads,"  he  said,  "  when  I  give  a 
loud  sneeze,  do  you  give  vent  to  a  roar  that  will 
only  stop  short  of  splitting  your  lungs ;  then  give 
chase,  and  yell  to  your  hearts'  content  as  you  run ; 
but  see  to  it  that  ye  keep  together  and  that  no 
man  runs  past  me.  There  is  plenty  of  moonlight -to 
let  you  see  what  you  're  about.  If  any  man  tries  to 
overshoot  me  in  the  race  I  '11  hew  off  his  head." 

This  last  remark  was  no  figure  of  speech.  In 
those  days  men  were  but  too  well  accustomed  to 
hewing  off  heads.  Leif  meant  to  have  his  orders 
attended  to,  and  the  men  understood  him. 

On  reaching  the  second  projection  of  cliff  after 
leaving  his  men,  Leif  peeped  round  cautiously  and 
beheld  the  advancing  Skraelingers  several  hundred 
yards  off.  He  returned  at  once  to  his  men  and  took 
up  a  position  at  their  head  in  the  deep  shadow  of 
the  cliffs. 

Although  absolutely  invisible  themselves,  the 
Norsemen  could  see  the  Skraelingers  quite  plainly 
in  the  moonlight,  as  they  came  slowly  and  with  great 
caution  round  each  turn  of  the  footpath  that  led  to 


THE  SKUAELINGERS  APPROACHING. -PAGE  33 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  33 

the  hamlet.  There  was  something  quite  awe-in- 
spiring in  the  manner  of  their  approach.  Evidently 
Flatface  dreaded  a  surprise,  for  he  put  each  leg  very 
slowly  in  advance  of  the  other,  and  went  on  tip-toe, 
glancing  quickly  on  either  side  between  each  step. 
His  followers — in  a  compact  body,  in  deep  silence 
and  with  bated  breath — followed  his  steps  and  his 
example. 

When  they  came  to  the  place  where  the  men 
crouched  in  ambush,  Leif  took  up  a  large  stone  and 
cast  it  high  over  their  heads.  So  quietly  was  this 
done  that  none  even  of  his  own  party  heard  him 
move  or  saw  the  stone,  though  they  heard  it  fall 
with  a  thud  on  the  sand  beyond. 

The  Skraelingers  heard  it  too,  and  stopped 
abruptly — each  man  on  one  leg,  with  the  other  leg 
and  his  arms  more  or  less  extended,  just  as  if  he 
had  been  suddenly  petrified.  So  in  truth  he  had 
been — with  horror  ! 

To  meet  an  open  enemy,  however  powerful, 
would  have  been  a  pleasure  compared  with  that 
slow  nervous  advance  in  the  midst  of  such  dead 
silence  !  As  nothing  followed  the  sound,  however, 
the  suspended  legs  began  to  descend  slowly  again 
towards  the  ground,  when — 

Leif  sneezed ! 

If  Greenland's  icy  mountains  had  become  one 
monstrous  polar  bear,  whose  powers  of  voice,  frozen 

c 


34:  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

for  prolonged  ages,  had  at  last  found  vent  that  night 
in  one  concentrated  roar,  the  noise  could  scarcely 
have  excelled  that  which  instantly  exploded  from 
the  Norsemen. 

The  effect  on  the  Skraelingers  was  almost  miracu- 
lous. A  bomb-shell  bursting  in  the  midst  of  a  hundred 
and  fifty  Kilkenny  cats  could  not  have  been  more 
effective,  and  the  result  would  certainly  have  borne 
some  marks  of  resemblance.  Each  hairy  creature 
sprang  nearly  his  own  height  into  the  air,  and 
wriggled  while  there,  as  if  impatient  to  turn  and  fly 
before  reaching  the  ground.  Earth  regained,  the 
more  active  among  them  overshot  and  overturned 
the  clumsy,  whereby  fifty  or  sixty  were  instantly 
cast  down,  but  these  rose  again  like  spring-jacks 
and  fled,  followed  by  a  roar  of  laughter  from  their 
foes,  which,  mingled  as  it  was  with  howls  and  yells, 
did  infinitely  more  to  appal  the  Skraelingers  than 
the  most  savage  war-cry  could  have  done. 

But  they  were  followed  by  more  than  laughter. 
The  Norsemen  immediately  gave  chase — still  yelling 
and  roaring  as  they  ran,  for  Leif  set  the  example, 
and  his  followers  remembered  his  threat. 

Karlsefin  and  Biarne  kept  one  on  each  side  of 
Leif,  about  a  pace  behind  him. 

"If  they  fight  as  well  as  they  run,"  observed 
the  former,  "they  must  be  troublesome  neigh- 
bours." 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  35 

"  They  are  not  bad  fighters,"  replied  Leif ;  "  but 
sometimes  they  deem  it  wise  to  run." 

"  JSTot  unlike  to  other  people  in  that  respect,"  said 
Biarne ;  "  but  it  seems  to  me  that  we  might  over- 
haul them  if  we  were  to  push  on." 

He  shot  up  to  Leif  as  he  spoke,  but  the  latter 
checked  him. 

"  Hold  back,  Biarne ;  I  mean  them  no  harm,  and 
wish  no  bloodshed — only  they  must  have  a  good 
fright.  The  lads,  no  doubt,  would  like  to  run  in 
and  make  short  work  of  them ;  but  I  intend  to 
breathe  the  lads,  which  will  in  the  end  do  just  as 
well  as  fighting  to  relieve  their  feelings. — Enough. 
It  is  ill  talking  and  running." 

They  were  silent  after  that,  and  ran  thus  for  fully 
an  hour,  at  nearly  the  top  of  their  speed.  But  Leif 
sometimes  checked  his  men,  and  sometimes  urged 
them  on,  so  that  they  fancied  he  was  chasing  with 
full  intent  to  run  the  Skraelingers  down.  When 
the  fugitives  showed  signs  of  nagging,  he  uttered  a 
tremendous  roar,  and  his  men  echoed  it,  sending 
such  a  thrill  to  the  hearts  of  the  Skraelingers  that 
they  seemed  to  recover  fresh  wind  and  strength ; 
then  he  pushed  after  them  harder  than  ever,  and  so 
managed  that,  without  catching  or  killing  one,  he 
terrified  them  almost  out  of  their  wits,  and  ran  them 
nearly  to  death. 

At  last  they  came  to  a  place  where  there  was  an 


36  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

abrupt  bend  in  the  mountains.  Here  Leif  resolved 
to  let  them  go.  When  they  were  pretty  near  the 
cliff  round  which  the  path  turned,  he  put  on  what, 
in  modern  sporting  phraseology,  is  termed  a  spurt, 
and  came  up  so  close  with  the  flying  band  that 
those  in  rear  began  to  glance  despairingly  over 
their  shoulders.  Suddenly  Leif  gave  vent  to  a  roar, 
into  which  he  threw  all  his  remaining  strength. 
It  was  taken  up  and  prolonged  by  his  men.  The 
horror-struck  Skraelingers  shrieked  in  reply,  swept 
like  a  torrent  round  the  projecting  cliff,  and  dis- 
appeared ! 

Leif  stopped  at  once,  and  held  up  his  hand.  All 
his  men  stopped  short  also,  and  though  they  heard 
the  Skraelingers  still  howling  as  they  fled,  no  one 
followed  them  any  farther.  Indeed,  most  of  the 
Norsemen  were  panting  vehemently,  and  rather  glad 
than  otherwise  to  be  allowed  to  halt. 

There  were,  however,  two  young  men  among  them 
— tall,  strong-boned,  and  thin,  but  with  broad  shoul- 
ders, and  grave,  earnest,  though  not  exactly  hand- 
some countenances — who  appeared  to  be  perfectly 
cool  and  in  good  wind  after  their  long  run.  Leif 
noticed  them  at  once. 

"  Yonder  youths  seem  to  think  little  of  this  sort 
of  thing,"  he  said  to  Karlsefin. 

"  You  are  right,  Leif ;  it  is  mere  child's  play  to 
them.  These  are  the  two  Scots — the  famous  run- 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  37 

ners — whom  I  was  charged  by  King  Olaf  to  pre- 
sent to  you.  Why,  these  men,  1*11  engage  to  say, 
could  overtake  the  Skraelingers  even  yet,  if  they 
chose.0 

"Say  you  so?"  cried  Leif.  "Do  they  speak 
Norse  ?" 

"Yes;  excellently  well" 

"Their  names?" 

"  The  one  is  Heika,  the  other  Hake." 

"  Ho  !  Hake  and  Heika,  come  hither,"  cried  Leif, 
beckoning  to  the  men,  and  hastening  round  the  point, 
where  the  Skraelingers  could  be  seen  nearly  a  mile 
off,  and  still  running  as  if  all  the  evil  spirits  of  the 
North  were  after  them. 

"  See  there,  carles  ;  think  you  that  ye  could  over- 
take these  rascals  ?" 

The  Scots  looked  at  each  other,  nodded,  smiled, 
and  said  they  thought  they  could. 

"  Do  it,  then.  Let  them  see  how  you  can  use 
your  legs,  and  give  them  a  shout  as  you  draw  near  ; 
but  have  a  care :  do  them  no  hurt,  and  see  that  they 
do  no  injury  to  you.  Take  no  arms;  your  legs 
must  suffice  on  this  occasion. 

The  Scots  looked  again  at  each  other,  and  laughed, 
as  if  they  enjoyed  the  joke ;  then  they  started  off 
like  a  couple  of  deer  at  a  pace  which  no  Norseman 
legs  had  ever  before  equalled,  or  even  approached. 

Leif,  Biarne,  and  the  men  gazed  in   speechless 


38  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

wonder,  much  to  the  amusement  of  Karlsefm  and 
Thorward,  while  Hake  and  Heika  made  straight  for 
the  flying  band  and  came  up  with  them.  They 
shouted  wildly  as  they  drew  near.  The  Skraelingers 
looked  back,  and  seeing  only  two  unarmed  men, 
stopped  to  receive  them. 

"  As  the  saying  goes,"  remarked  Biarne,  "  a  stern 
chase  is  a  long  one ;  but  to-night  proves  the  truth 
of  that  other  saying,  that  there  is  no  rule  without 
an  exception." 

"  What  are  they  doing  now  ?"  cried  Leif,  laughing. 
"  See — they  are  mad  !" 

Truly  it  seemed  as  if  they  were  ;  for,  after  sepa- 
rating and  coursing  twice  completely  round  the 
astonished  natives,  the  two  Scots  performed  a  species 
of  war-dance  before  them,  which  had  a  sort  of  fling 
about  it,  more  easily  conceived  than  described.  In 
the  middle  of  this  they  made  a  dart  at  the  group  so 
sudden  and  swift  that  Hake  managed  to  overturn 
Flatface  with  a  tremendous  buffet,  and  Heika  did 
the  same  to  his  second  in  command  with  an 
energetic  cuff.  The  Skraelingers  were  taken  so 
thoroughly  by  surprise  that  the  Scots  had  sheered 
off  and  got  out  of  reach  before  a  spear  could  be 
thrown. 

Of  course  a  furious  rush  was  made  at  them,  but 
the  hairy  men  might  as  well  have  chased  the  wind. 
After  tormenting  and  tantalizing  them  a  little 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  39 

longer,  the  Scots  returned  at  full  speed  to  their 
friends,  and  the  Skraelingers,  glad  to  be  rid  of 
them,  hastened  to  seek  the  shelter  of  the  gloomy 
gorge  from  which  they  had  originally  issued,  "  like 
a  wolf  on  the  fold." 


CHAPTER  IV. 

IMPORTANT  EVENTS  TRANSPIRE,  WHICH  END  IN  A  VOYAGE  OP 
DISCOVERY. 

SOME  weeks  afterwards,  Karlsefin  and  Gudrid 
went  down  to  walk  together  on  the  sea-beach.  It 
would  appear  that  lovers  were  as  fond  of  rambling 
together  in  those  olden  times  as  they  are  in  these 
modern  days.  It  was  evening  when  they  went  to 
ramble  thus — another  evidence  of  similarity  in  taste 
between  the  moderns  and  ancients. 

"  Karlsefin,"  said  Gudrid,  stopping  at  the  margin 
of  the  fiord,  and  looking  pensively  towards  the 
horizon,  where  golden  clouds  and  air  and  sea  ap- 
peared to  mingle  harmoniously,  "  I  wonder  that  you, 
with  good  ships  and  many  stout  men  and  plenty  of 
means,  should  choose  to  remain  in  this  barren  spot, 
instead  of  searching  out  the  famous  Vinland  and 
making  a  settlement  there." 

"  This  barren  spot  is  very  bright  to  me,  Gudrid  ; 
I  have  no  desire  to  leave  it  yet  a  while.  .Since  you 
and  I  were  betrothed  the  ocean  has  lost  its  aftrac- 

40 


AMERICA.  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  4 1 

tions.  Besides,  would  you  have  me  set  out  on  a 
voyage  of  discovery  at  the  beginning  of  winter  ? " 

"  Nay ;  but  you  do  not  even  talk  about  going 
when  spring  conies  round." 

"  Because  I  have  other  things  to  talk  of,  Gudrid." 

"  I  fear  me  that  you  are  a  lazy  man,"  returned  the 
widow,  with  a  smile,  "  and  will  prove  but  a  sorry 
husband  Just  think,"  she  added,  with  sudden 
animation,  "  what  a  splendid  country  it  must  be ; 
and  what  a  desirable  change  for  all  of  us.  Thick 
and  leafy  woods  like  those  of  old  Norway,  instead 
of  these  rugged  cliffs  and  snow-clad  hills.  Fields  of 
waving  grass  and  rye,  instead  of  moss-covered  rocks 
and  sandy  soil.  Trees  large  enough  to  build  houses 
and  merchant  ships,  instead  of  willow  bushes  that 
are  fit  for  nothing  except  to  save  our  poor  cattle 
from  starvation  when  the  hay  crop  runs  out ;  be- 
sides, longer  sunshine  in  winter  and  more  genial 
warmth  all  the  year  round,  instead  of  howling  winds 
and  ice  and  snow.  Truly  I  think  our  adopted 
home  here  has  been  wofully  misnamed." 

"  And  yet  I  love  it,  Gudrid,  for  I  find  the  atmo- 
sphere genial  and  the  sunshine  very  bright." 

"  Foolish  man ! "  said  Gudrid,  with  a  little  laugh. 
"And  then,"  she  added,  recurring  to  her  theme, 
"  there  are  grapes, — though,  to  be  sure,  I  know  not 
what  these  are,  never  having  tasted  them.  Biarne 
says  they  are  very  good — do  you  think  so  too  ? " 


42  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"  They  are  magnificent/'  answered  Karlsefin.  "  In 
southern  lands,  where  Tyrker  comes  from,  they  have 
a  process  whereby  they  can  make  a  drink  from 
grapes,  which  maddens  youth  and  quickens  the 
pulse  of  age, — something  like  our  own  beer." 

"It  does  not  please  me  to  hear  that"  replied 
Gudrid  gravely ;  "  some  of  our  carles  are  too  fond  of 
beer.  When  old  Heriulf  was  sick,  a  little  of  it  did 
him  good,  and  when  Eric  the  Eed  was  in  his  last 
days  he  seemed  to  gather  a  little  strength  and  com- 
fort from  beer ;  but  I  never  could  perceive  that  it 
ever  did  anything  to  young  men  except  make  them 
boast,  and  talk  nonsense,  and  look  foolish, — or, 
what  is  worse,  quarrel  and  fight/' 

"Eight,  Gudrid,  right,"  said  Karlsefin;  "my opinion 
at  least  is  the  same  as  yours,  whether  it  be  right 
or  wrong.  There  is  some  reason  in  applying  heat 
to  cold,  but  it  seems  to  me  unnecessary  to  add  heat 
to  warmth,  artificial  strength  to  natural  vigour,  and 
it  is  dangerous  sometimes  to  add  fuel  to  fire.  I  am 
glad  you  think  as  I  think  on  this  point,  for  it  is 
well  that  man  and  wife  should  be  agreed  in  matters 
of  importance. — But  to  return  to  Vinland :  I  have 
been  thinking  much  about  it  since  I  came  here, 
though  saying  little, — for  it  becomes  a  man  to  be 
silent  and  circumspect  in  regard  to  unformed  plans. 
My  mind  is  to  go  thither  next  spring,  but  only  on 
one  condition." 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  43 

"  And  what  may  that  be  ? "  asked  Gudrid,  looking 
up  with  a  little  surprise,  and  some  interest. 

"  That  you  shall  go  with  me,  Gudrid ;  for  which 
end  it  will  be  needful  that  you  and  I  should  wed 
this  winter." 

Gudrid  could  not  help  blushing  a  little  and  look- 
ing down,  for  Karlsefin,  despite  his  suavity,  had  a 
way  with  him,  when  thoroughly  in  earnest,  that  was 
very  impressive.  She  did  not  hesitate,  however, 
but  answered  with  straightforward  candour,  "  I  will 
not  say  nay  to  that  if  my  brother  Leif  is  willing." 

"  It  is  settled  then,"  replied  Karlsefin  decisively, 
"  for  Leif  has  already  told  me  that  he  is  willing  if 
you  are,  and  so — " 

At  this  interesting  point  in  the  conversation  they 
were  interrupted  by  a  loud  merry  laugh  not  very 
far  from  them,  and  next  moment  little  Olaf,  starting 
out  from  behind  a  bush,  ran  shouting  into  Gudrid's 
extended  arms.  "  Oh,  what  do  you  think  ? "  he 
exclaimed,  "aunt  Freydissa  has  come  over  from 
Heriulfness,  and  is  in  such  a  rage  because  Biarne 
has  told  her  that  Thorward  has  been  making  love 
to  his  cousin  Astrid,  and — " 

"  Hush,  boy,"  said  Gudrid,  covering  his  mouth 
with  her  hand,  "you  should  not  talk  so  of  your 
aunt.  Besides,  you  know  that  it  is  an  evil  thing  to 
get  the  name  of  a  tale-bearer." 

"  I  did  not  think  it  was  tale-bearing,"  replied  the 


44  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

lad,  somewhat  abashed,  "for  it  is  no  secret.  Leif 
was  there,  and  Astrid  herself,  and  all  the  house- 
carles  in  the  hall  must  have  heard  her,  for  she 
spoke  very  loud.  And  oh !  you  should  have  seen 
her  give  Thorward  the  cold  shoulder  when  he  came 
in!" 

"  Well,  well,  Olaf,  hold  your  noisy  tongue,"  said 
Gudrid,  laughing,  "  and  come,  tell  me  how  would 
you  like  to  go  to  Vinland  ? " 

"  Like  to  go  to  Vinland  ! "  echoed  the  boy,  turn- 
ing an  ardent  gaze  full  on  Karlsefin,  "  are  you  going 
there,  sir  ?  Will  you  take  me  ?  " 

Karlsefin  laughed,  and  said,  "  You  are  too  quick 
in  jumping  to  conclusions,  child.  Perhaps  I  may 
go  there ;  but  you  have  not  yet  answered  Gudrid's 
question — would  you  like  to  go  ? " 

"  I  would  like  it  well,"  replied  Olaf,  with  a  bright 
look  of  hopeful  expectation  that  said  far  more  than 
words  coul.d  have  expressed. 

Just  then  Thorward  was  seen  approaching  along 
the  beach.  His  brows  were  knit,  his  lips  pursed, 
and  his  eyes  fixed  on  the  ground.  He  was  so  en- 
grossed with  his  thoughts  that  he  did  not  perceive 
his  friends. 

"  Here  he  comes,"  said  Karlsefin — "  in  the  blues 
evidently,  for  he  does  not  see  us." 

"  We  had  better  leave  you  to  his  company,"  said 
Gudrid,  laughing;  "a  man  i'  the  blues  is  no  pleasure 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  45 

to  a  woman. — Come,  Olaf,  you  and  I  shall  to  the 
dairy  and  see  how  the  cattle  fare." 

Olaf's  capacity  for  imbibing  milk  and  cream 
being  unlimited,  he  gladly  accepted  this  invitation, 
and  followed  his  aunt,  while  Karlsefin  advanced  to 
meet  his  friend. 

"How  now,  Thorward,  methinks  an  evil  spirit 
doth  possess  thee  ! " 

"  An  evil  spirit ! "  echoed  Thorward,  with  a  wrath- 
ful look ;  "  nay,  a  legion  of  evil  spirits  possess  me ! 
A  plague  on  that  fellow  Biarne :  he  has  poisoned 
the  ears  of  Freydissa  with  lies  about  that  girl 
Astrid,  to  whom  I  have  never  whispered  a  sweet 
word  since  we  landed." 

"  I  trust  you  have  not  whispered  sour  words  to 
her,"  said  Karlsefin,  smiling. 

"And  Freydissa,  forsooth,  gives  me  the  cold 
shoulder,"  continued  the  exasperated  Norseman,  not 
noticing  the  interruption,  "  as  if  I  were  proved  guilty 
by  the  mere  assertion." 

"  It  is  my  advice  to  you,  Thorward,  that  you  re- 
turn the  compliment,  and  give  the  cold  shoulder  to 
Freydissa.  The  woman  has  a  shrewish  temper ; 
she  is  a  very  vixen,  and  will  lead  you  the  life  of  a 
dog  if  you  marry  her." 

"  I  had  rather,"  said  Thorward  between  his  teeth, 
and  stamping,  "  live  a  dog's  life  with  Freydissa  than 
live  the  life  of  a  king  without  her !" 


46  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

Karlsefin  laughed  at  this,  and  Thorward,  taking 
offence,  said  fierily,  and  with  some  scorn — 

"Thinkest  thou  that  because  thy  Gudrid  is  so 
smooth-tongued  she  is  an  angel  ?" 

"  That  is  what  I  am  inclined  to  think,"  answered 
Karlsefin,  with  a  smile  that  still  further  exasperated 
his  friend. 

"  Perchance  you  may  find  yourself  mistaken,"  said 
Thorward.  "  Since  you  are  so  free  with  your  warn- 
ings, let  me  remind  you  that  although  the  course  of 
your  courtship  runs  smooth,  there  is  an  old  proverb 
— descended  from  Odin  himself,  I  believe — which 
assures  us  that  true  love  never  did  so  run." 

"  Then  I  recall  my  words,  Thorward,  and  congratu- 
late you  on  your  true  love — for  assuredly  your  court- 
ship runs  in  an  uncommonly  rugged  course." 

At  this  Thorward  turned  .on  his  heel  and  walked 
away  in  a  towering  passion. 

It  so  happened  that,  on  drawing  near  to  Brattalid, 
he  met  Biarne  coming  in  the  opposite  direction. 
Nothing  could  have  pleased  him  better — for  in  the 
state  of  his  mind  at  the  time  he  would  have  turned 
savagely  on  himself,  had  that  been  possible,  in  order 
to  relieve  his  feelings. 

"So!"  he  cried,  confronting  Biarne,  "well  met! 
Tell  me,  Biarne,  didst  thou  poison  the  ears  of  Frey- 
dissa  by  telling  her  that  I  had  been  courting  thy 
cousin  Astrid?" 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  47 

Biarne,  who  was  not  aware  of  the  consequences  of 
what  he  had  said  in  jest,  felt  inclined  to  laugh,  but 
he  checked  himself  and  flushed  somewhat,  not  being 
accustomed  to  be  addressed  in  such  haughty  tones. 
Instead  of  explaining  the  matter,  as  he  might  other- 
wise have  done,  he  merely  said,  "  I  did." 

"  Liar  !"  exclaimed  Thorward  fiercely,  for  he  was 
a  very  resolute  man  when  roused ;  "  go,  tell  her  that 
the  assertion  was  a  falsehood.  Go  now,  and  come 
back  to  tell  me  thou  hast  done  it,  else  will  I  chop 
thy  carcase  into  mince-meat.  Go  ;  I  will  await 
thee  here." 

He  laid  his  hand  upon  his  sword,  but  Biarne  said 
quietly,  "  I  go,  sir ;"  and,  turning  round,  hastened 
up  to  the  hamlet.  . 

Thorward  could  scarcely  believe  his  eyes,  for 
Biarne  was  fully  as  stout  as  himself,  and  somewhat 
taller,  besides  having  the  look  of  a  courageous  man. 
He  had  issued  his  imperative  mandate  more  as  a 
defiance  and  challenge  than  anything  else,  so  that 
he  gazed  after  the  retreating  Biarne  with  mingled 
feelings  of  surprise,  contempt,  and  pity ;  but  sur- 
prise predominated.  He  had  not  long  to  wait,  how- 
ever, for  in  about  ten  minutes  Biarne  returned. 

"  Well,  have  you  told  her !" 

"  I  have,"  replied  Biarne. 

"  Hah !"  exclaimed  Thorward,  very  much  per- 
plexed, and  not  knowing  what  to  say  next. 


48  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"  But,  Thorward,"  said  Biarne,  after  a  momentary 
pause,  "  methinks  that  you  and  I  must  fight  now." 

"  With  all  my  heart,"  answered  Thorward,  much 
relieved,  and  again  grasping  his  sword. 

"  Nay,  not  with  such  weapons,"  said  Biarne,  step- 
ping up  to  him,  "  but  with  the  weapons  of  friend- 
ship." 

With  that  he  bestowed  such  a  hearty  buffet  on 
Thor ward's  left  ear  that  it  turned  the  irascible  man 
head  over  heels,  and  laid  him  at  full  length  on  the 
sand. 

Thorward  rose  slowly,  being  somewhat  stunned, 
with  a  confused  impression  that  there  was  some- 
thing wrong  with  his  head.  Before  he  had  quite 
recovered,  Biarne  burst  into  a  laugh  and  seized  him 
by  the  hand. 

"Freydissa  bids  me  tell  you — "  he  said,  and 
paused. 

The  pause  was  intentional.  He  saw  that  Thor- 
ward was  on  the  point  of  snatching  away  his  hand 
and  returning  the  blow  or  drawing  his  sword  ;,  but 
he  restrained  himself  in  order  to  hear  Freydissa's 
message. 

"  She  bids  me  tell  you,"  repeated  Biarne,  "  that 
you  are  a  goose." 

This  was  not  calculated  to  soothe  an  angry  man, 
but  Thorward  reflected  that  the  epithet  was  figura- 
tive, and  bore  a  peculiar  signification  when  uttered 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  49 

by  a  woman ;  lie  therefore  continued  his  self-re- 
straint and  waited  for  more. 

"She  also  said,"  added  Biarne,  "that  she  never 
for  a  moment  believed  my  statement  (which,  by  the 
way,  was  only  made  in  jest),  and  that  she  thinks 
you  deserve  a  good  buffet  on  the  ear  for  taking  the 
thing  up  so  hotly.  Agreeing  with  her  entirely  in 
this,  I  have  fulfilled  her  wish  and  given  you  your 
deserts.  Moreover,  she  expects  you  to  accompany 
her  to  Heriulfness  to-night.  So  now,"  said  Biarne, 
releasing  Thorward's  hand  and  touching  his  sword 
hilt,  "  if  you  are  still  inclined — ." 

"  Well,  well,"  said  Thorward,  whose  visage,  while 
his  friend  was  speaking,  had  undergone  a  series  of 
contortions  indicative  of  a  wild  conflict  of  feelings 
in  his  breast,  "  well,  well,  I  am  a  goose,  and  deserved 
the  buffet.  After  all,  I  did  call  you  a  liar,  so  we  are 
quits,  Biarne — tit  for  tat.  Come,  let  us  shake  hands 
and  go  up  to  Leif  's  cottage.  You  said  Freydissa 
was  there,  I  think." 

During  that  winter  Karlsefin  married  Gudrid  and 
Thorward  Freydissa,  and,  in  the  following  spring, 
they  embarked  in  Karlsefin's  ship — with  a  large 
party  of  men,  women,  children,  and  cattle — and  set 
sail  for  Vinland. 


OHAPTEE  V. 

FREYDISSA  SHOWS  HEB  TEMPER  AND  A  WHALE  CHECKS  IT— POETICAL 
AND  OTHER  TOUCHES. 

THE  expedition  which  now  set  out  for  Vinland 
was  on  a  much  larger  scale  than  any  of  the  expe- 
ditions which  had  preceded  it.  Biarne  and  Leif  had 
acted  the  part  of  discoverers  only — not  colonizers 
— and  although  previous  parties  had  passed  several 
winters  in  Vinland,  they  had  not  intended  to  take 
up  a  permanent  abode  there — as  was  plain  from 
the  fact  that  they  brought  neither  women  nor  flocks 
nor  herds  with  them.  Karlsefin,  on  the  contrary, 
went  forth  fully  equipped  for  colonization. 

His  ship,  as  we  have  said,  was  a  large  one,  with  a 
decked  poop  and  forecastle,  fitted  to  brave  the  most 
tempestuous  weather — at  least  as  well  fitted  to  do 
so  as  were  the  ships  of  Columbus — and  capable  of 
accommodating  more  than  a  hundred  people.  He 
took  sixty  men  with  him  and  five  women,  besides 
his  own  wife  and  Thorward's.  Thorward  himself, 
and  Biarne,  accompanied  the  expedition,  and  also 
Olaf — to  his  inexpressible  joy,  but  Leif  preferred  to 

60 


AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  51 

remain  at  home,  and  promised  to  take  good  care  of 
Thorward's  ship,  which  was  left  behind.  Astrid 
was  one  of  the  five  women  who  went  with  this 
expedition;  the  other  four  were  Gunhild,  Thora, 
Sigrid,  and  Bertha.  Gunhild  and  Sigrid  were  wives 
to  two  of  Biarne's  men.  Thora  was  handmaiden 
to  Gudrid ;  Bertha  handmaid  to  Freydissa.  Of  all 
the  women  Bertha  was  the  sweetest  and  most  beau- 
tiful, and  she  was  also  very  modest  and  good-tem- 
pered, which  was  a  fortunate  circumstance,  because 
her  mistress  Freydissa  had  temper  enough,  as  Biarne 
used  to  remark,  for  a  dozen  women.  Biarne  was 
fond  of  teasing  Freydissa ;  but  she  liked  Biarne,  and 
sometimes  took  his  pleasantries  well — sometimes 
ill. 

It  was  intended  that,  when  the  colony  was  fairly 
established,  the  ship  should  be  sent  back  to  Green- 
land to  fetch  more  of  the  men's  wives  and  children. 

A  number  of  cattle,  horses,  and  sheep  were  also 
carried  on  this  occasion  to  Vinland.  These  were 
stowed  in  the  waist  or  middle  of  the  vessel,  between 
the  benches  where  the  rowers  sat  when  at  work 
The  rowers  did  not  labour  much  at  sea,  as  the 
vessel  was  at  most  times  able  to  advance  under 
sail.  During  calms,  however,  and  when  going  into 
creeks,  or  on  landing — also  in  doubling  capes 
when  the  wind  was  not  suitable — the  oars  were 
of  the  greatest  value.  Karlsefm  and  the  principal 


52  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

people  slept  under  the  high  poop.  A  number  of 
the  men  slept  under  the  forecastle,  and  the  rest  lay 
in  the  waist  near  the  cattle — sheltered  from  the 
weather  by  tents  or  awnings  which  were  called  tilts. 

It  may  perhaps  surprise  some  readers  to  learn 
that  men  could  venture  in  such  vessels  to  cross  the 
northern  seas  from  Norway  to  Iceland,  and  thence 
to  Greenland ;  but  it  is  not  so  surprising  when  we 
consider  the  small  size  of  the  vessels  in  which 
Columbus  afterwards  crossed  the  Atlantic  in  safety, 
and  when  we  reflect  that  those  Norsemen  had  been 
long  accustomed,  in  such  vessels,  to  traverse  the 
ocean  around  the  coasts  of  Europe  in  all  directions 
— round  the  shores  of  Britain,  up  the  Baltic,  away 
to  the  Faroe  Islands,  and  up  the  Mediterranean  even 
as  far  as  the  Black  Sea.  In  short,  the  Norsemen  of 
old  were  magnificent  seamen,  and  there  can  be  no 
question  that  much  of  the  ultimate  success  of  Bri- 
tain on  the  sea  is  due  not  only  to  our  insular  posi- 
tion but  also  to  the  not-sufficiently-appreciated  fact 
that  the  blood  of  the  hardy  and  adventurous  vikings 
of  Norway  still  flows  in  our  veins. 

It  was  a  splendid  spring  morning  when  Karlsefm 
hoisted  his  white- and-blue  sail,  and  dropped  down 
Ericsfiord  with  a  favouring  breeze,  while  Leif  and 
his  people  stood  on  the  stone  jetty  at  Brattalid,  and 
waved  hats  and  shawls  to  their  departing  friends. 

For  Olaf,  Thora,  and  Bertha  it  was  a  first  voyage, 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  53 

and  as  the  vessel  gradually  left  the  land  behind,  the 
latter  stood  at  the  stern  gazing  wistfully  towards  the 
shore,  while  tears  flowed  from  her  pretty  blue  eyes 
and  chased  each  other  over  her  fair  round  face — for 
Bertha  left  an  old  father  behind  her  in  Greenland. 

"Don't  cry,  Bertha,"  said  Olaf,  putting  his  fat 
little  hand  softly  into  that  of  the  young  girl. 

"  Oh  !  I  shall  perhaps  never  see  him  again,"  cried 
Bertha,  with  another  burst  of  tears. 

"  Yes,  you  will,"  said  Olaf,  cheerily.  "  You  know 
that  when  we  get  comfortably  settled  in  Vinland  we 
shall  send  the  ship  back  for  your  father,  and  mine 
too,  and  for  everybody  in  Ericsfiord  and  Heriulfness. 
Why,  we're  going  to  forsake  Greenland  altogether 
and  never  go  back  to  it  any  more.  Oh  !  I  am  so  glad." 

"  I  wish,  I  wish  I  had  never  come,"  said  Bertha, 
with  a  renewed  flow  of  tears,  for  Olaf  s  consolations 
were  thrown  away  on  her. 

It  chanced  that  Freydissa  came  at  that  moment 
upon  the  poop,  where  Karlsefin  stood  at  the  helm, 
and  Gudrid  with  some  others  were  still  gazing  at 
the  distant  shore. 

Freydissa  was  one  of  those  women  who  appear 
to  have  been  born  women  by  mistake — who  are 
always  chafing  at  their  unfortunate  fate,  and  endea- 
vouring to  emulate — even  to  overwhelm — men ;  in 
which  latter  effort  they  are  too  frequently  suc- 
cessful. She  was  a  tall  elegant  woman  of  about 


54  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

thirty  years  of  age,  with  a  decidedly  handsome 
face,  though  somewhat  sharp  of  feature.  She  pos- 
sessed a  powerful  will,  a  shrill  voice  and  a  vigorous 
frame,  and  was  afflicted  with  a  short,  violent  temper. 
She  was  decidedly  a  masculine  woman.  We  know 
not  which  is  the  more  disagreeable  of  the  two — a 
masculine  woman  or  an  effeminate  man. 

But  perhaps  the  most  prominent  feature  in  her 
character  was  her  volubility  when  enraged, — the 
copiousness  of  her  vocabulary  and  the  tremendous 
force  with  which  she  shot  forth  her  ideas  and  abuse 
in  short  abrupt  sentences. 

Now,  if  there  was  one  thing  more  than  another 
that  roused  the  ire  of  Freydissa,  it  was  the  exhibi- 
tion of  feminine  weakness  in  the  shape  of  tears. 
She  appeared  to  think  that  the  credit  of  her  sex  in 
reference  to  firmness  and  self-command  was  com- 
promised by  such  weakness.  She  herself  never 
wept  by  any  chance,  and  she  was  always  enraged 
when  she  saw  any  other  woman  relieve  her  feel- 
ings in  that  way.  When,  therefore,  she  came  on 
deck  and  found  her  own  handmaid  with  her  pretty 
little  face  swelled,  or,  as  she  expressed  it,  "be- 
grutten,"  and  heard  her  express  a  wish  that  she  had 
never  left  home,  she  lost  command  of  herself — a 
loss  that  she  always  found  it  easy  to  come  by — and, 
seizing  Bertha  by  the  shoulder,  ordered  her  down 
into  the  cabin  instantly. 


OR  AMEEICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  55 

Bertha  sobbingly  obeyed,  and  Freydissa  followed. 
"  Don't  be  hard  on  her,  poor  soul,"  murmured  Thor- 
ward. 

Foolish  fellow!  How  difficult  it  is  for  man — 
ancient  or  modern — to  learn  when  to  hold  his 
tongue!  That  suggestion  would  have  fixed  Frey- 
dissa's  determination  if  it  had  not  been  fixed  before, 
and  poor  Bertha  would  certainly  have  received  "  a 
hearing,"  or  a  "  blowing-up,"  or  a  "  setting  down," 
such  as  she  had  not  enjoyed  since  the  date  of 
Freydissa's  marriage,  had  it  not  been  for  the  fortu- 
nate circumstance  that  a  whale  took  it  into  its  great 
thick  head  to  come  up,  just  then,  and  spout  mag- 
nificently quite  close  to  the  vesseL 

The  sight  was  received  with  a  shout  by  the  men, 
a  shriller  shout  by  the  women,  and  a  screech  of  sur- 
prise and  delight  by  little  Olaf,  who  would  certainly 
have  gone  over  the  side  in  his  eagerness,  had  not 
Biarne  caught  him  by  the  skirts  of  his  tunic. 

This  incident  happily  diverted  the  course  of 
Freydissa's  thoughts.  Curiosity  overcame  indig- 
nation, and  Bertha  was  reprieved  for  the  time 
being.  Both  mistress  and  maid  hastened  to  the 
side  of  the  ship ;  the  anger  of  the  one  evaporated 
and  the  tears  of  the  other  dried  up  when  they  saw 
the  whale  rise  not  more  than  a  hundred  yards  from 
the  ship.  It  continued  to  do  this  for  a  considerable 
time,  sometimes  appearing  on  one  side,  sometimes 


56  THE  NOKSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

on  the  other ;  now  at  the  stern,  anon  at  the  how. 
In  short  it  seemed  as  if  the  whale  had  taken  the 
ship  for  a  companion,  and  were  anxious  to  make  its 
acquaintance.  At  last  it  went  down  and  remained 
under  water  so  long  that  the  voyagers  began  to  think 
it  had  left  them,  when  Olaf  suddenly  gave  a  shriek 
of  delight  and  surprise  : — "  Oh  !  Oh !  OH  ! "  he  ex- 
claimed, looking  and  pointing  straight  down  into  the 
water,  "  here  is  the  whale — right  under  the  ship !" 

And  sure  enough  there  it  was,  swimming  slowly 
under  the  vessel,  not  two  fathoms  below  the  keel — 
its  immense  bulk  being  impressively  visible,  owing 
to  the  position  of  the  observers,  and  its  round  eyes 
staring  as  if  in  astonishment  at  the  strange  creature 
above.1  It  expressed  this  astonishment,  or  whatever 
feeling  it  might  be,  by  coming  up  suddenly  to  the 
surface,  thrusting  its  big  blunt  head,  like  the  bow 
of  a  boat,  out  of  the  sea,  and  spouting  forth  a  column 
of  water  and  spray  with  a  deep  snort  or  snore — to 
tjie  great  admiration  of  the  whole  ship's  crew,  for, 
although  most  of  the  men  were  familiar  enough 
with  whales,  alive  and  dead,  they  had  never,  in  all 
probability;  seen  one  in  such  circumstances  before. 

Four  or  five  times  did  the  whale  dive  under  the 
vessel  in  this  fashion,  and  then  it  sheered  off  with  a 
contemptuous  flourish  of  its  tail,  as  if  disgusted  with 

1  The  author  has  seen  a  whale  in  precisely  similar  circumstances  in 
a  Norwegian  fiord. 


OE  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  57 

the  stolid  unsociable  character  of  the  ship,  which 
seen  from  a  submarine  point  of  view  must  have 
looked  uncommonly  like  a  whale,  and  quite  as 
big! 

This  episode,  occurring  so  early  in  the  voyage,  and 
trifling  though  it  was,  tended  to  create  in  the  minds 
of  all — especially  of  the  women  and  the  younger 
people — a  feeling  of  interest  in  the  ocean,  and  an 
expectation  of  coming  adventure,  which,  though  not 
well  defined,  was  slightly  exciting  and  agreeable. 
Bertha,  in  particular,  was  very  grateful  to  that 
whale,  for  it  had  not  only  diverted  her  thoughts  a 
little  from  home-leaving  and  given  her  something 
new  to  think  and  talk  about,  but  it  had  saved  her 
from  Freydissa  and  a  severe  scold. 

The  first  night  at  sea  was  fine,  with  bright  moon- 
light, and  a  soft  wind  on  the  quarter  that  carried 
them  pleasantly  over  the  rippling  sea,  and  every- 
thing was  so  tranquil  and  captivating  that  no  one  felt 
inclined  to  go  to  rest.  Karlsefin  sat  beside  the  helm, 
guiding  the  ship  and  telling  sagas  to  the  group  of 
friends  who  stood,  sat,  or  reclined  on  the  deck  and 
against  the  bulwarks  of  the  high  poop.  He  repeated 
long  pieces  of  poetry,  descriptive  of  the  battles  and 
adventures  of  their  viking  forefathers,  and  also  gave 
them  occasional  pieces  of  his  own  composing,  in 
reference  to  surrounding  circumstances  and  the 
enterprise  in  which  they  were  then  embarked, — for 


58  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

Karlsefin  was  himself  a  skald  or  poet,  although  he 
pretended  not  to  great  attainments  in  that  way. 

Prom  where  they  sat  the  party  on  the  poop  could 
see  that  the  men  on  the  high  forecastle  were  similarly 
engaged,  for  they  had  gathered  together  in  a  group, 
and  their  heads  were  laid  together  as  if  listening 
intently  to  one  of  their  number  who  sat  in  the 
centre  of  the  circle.  Below,  in  the  waist  of  the 
ship,  some  humorous  character  appeared  to  be 
holding  his  mates  enchained,  for  long  periods  of 
comparative  silence — in  which  could  be  heard  the 
monotonous  tones  of  a  single  voice  mingled  with 
occasional  soft  lowing  from  the  cattle — were  suddenly 
broken  by  bursts  of  uproarious  laughter,  which,  how- 
ever, quickly  subsided  again,  leaving  prominent  the 
occasional  lowing  and  the  prolonged  monotone. 
Everything  in  and  around  the  ship,  that  night, 
breathed  of  harmony  and  peace — though  there  was 
little  knowledge  among  them  of  Him  who  is  the 
Prince  of  Peace.  We  say  "  little  "  knowledge,  be- 
cause Christianity  had  only  just  begun  to  dawn 
among  the  Norsemen  at  that  time,  and  there  were 
some  on  board  of  that  discovery- ship  who  were  tinged 
with  the  first  rays  of  that  sweet  light  which,  in  the 
person  of  the  Son  of  God,  was  sent  to  lighten  the  world 
and  to  shine  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day. 

"  Now,"  said  Karlsefin,  at  the  conclusion  of  one 
of  his  stories,  "  that  is  the  saga  of  Halfdan  the  Black 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  59 

— at  least  it  is  part  of  his  saga;  but,  friends,  it 
seems  to  me  that  we  must  begin  a  saga  of  our  own, 
for  it  is  evident  that  if  we  are  successful  in  this 
venture  we  shall  have  something  to  relate  when  we 
return  to  Greenland,  and  we  must  all  learn  to  tell 
our  saga  in  the  same  words,  for  that  is  the  only  way 
in  which  truth  can  be  handed  down  to  future  gener- 
ations, seeing  that  when  men  are  careless  in  learning 
the  truth  they  are  apt  to  distort  it  so  that  honest 
men  are  led  into  telling  lies  unwittingly.  They  say 
that  the  nations  of  the  south  have  invented  a  process 
whereby  with  a  sharp  -  pointed  tool  they  fashion 
marks  on  skins  to  represent  words,  so  that  once  put 
down  in  this  way  a  saga  never  changes.  Would 
that  we  Norsemen  understood  that  process!"  said 
Karlsefin  meditatively. 

"  It  seems  to  me,"  said  Biarne,  who  reclined  on 
the  deck,  leaning  against  the  weather  bulwarks  and 
running  his  ringers  playfully  through  Olaf's  fair 
curls,  "  It  seems  to  me  that  it  were  better  to  bestow 
the  craft  of  the  skald  on  the  record  of  our  voyage, 
for  then  the  measure  and  the  rhyme  would  chain 
men  to  the  words,  and  so  to  the  truth — that  is,  sup- 
posing they  get  truth  to  start  with !  Come,  Karlsefin, 
begin  our  voyage  for  us." 

All  present  seemed  to  agree  to  that  proposal,  and 
urged  Karlsefin  to  begin  at  once. 

The  skipper — for  such  indeed  was  his  position  in 


60  THE  NOESEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

the  ship — though  a  modest  man,  was  by  no  means 
bashful,  therefore,  after  looking  round  upon  the  moon- 
lit sea  for  a  few  minutes,  he  began  as  follows : — 

"  When  western  waves  were  all  unknown, 
And  western  fields  were  all  unsown, 
When  Iceland  was  the  outmost  bound 
That  roving  viking-keels  had  found — 
Gunbiorn  then — Ulf  Kraka's  son — 
Still  farther  west  was  forced  to  run 
By  furious  gales,  and  there  saw  land 
Stretching  abroad  on  either  hand. 
Eric  of  Iceland,  called  the  Red, 
Heard  of  the  news  and  straightway  said — 
« This  western  land  I  '11  go  and  see  ; 
Three  summers  hence  look  out  for  me.' 
He  went ;  he  landed  ;  stayed  awhile, 
And  wintered  first  on  '  Eric's  Isle  ;' 
Then  searched  the  coast  both  far  and  wide, 
Then  back  to  Iceland  o'er  the  tide. 
'  A  wondrous  land  is  this,'  said  he, 
And  called  it  Greenland  of  the  sea. 

Twenty  and  five  great  ships  sailed  west 
To  claim  this  gem  on  Ocean's  breast. 
With  man  and  woman,  horn  and  hoof, 
And  bigging  for  the  homestead  roof. 
Some  turned  back — in  heart  but  mice — 
Some  sank  amid  the  Northern  ice. 
Half  reached  the  land,  in  much  distress, 
At  Ericsfiord  and  Heriulfness. 

Next,  Biarne — Heriulf 's  doughty  son — 
Sought  to  trace  out  the  aged  one.1 
From  Norway  sailed,  but  missed  his  mark  ; 
Passed  snow-topped  Greenland  in  the  dark ; 
And  came  then  to  a  new-found  land — 
But  did  not  touch  the  tempting  strand  j 

1  His  father. 


OK  AMERICA  BEFOEE  COLUMBUS.  61 

For  winter  winds  oppressed  him  sore 
And  kept  him  from  his  father's  shore. 

Then  Leif,  the  son  of  Eric,  rose 
And  straightway  off  to  Biarne  goes, 
Buys  up  his  ship,  takes  all  his  men, 
Fares  forth  to  seek  that  land  agen. 
Leif  found  the  land  ;  discovered  more, 
And  spent  a  winter  on  the  shore  ; 
Cut  trees  and  grain  to  load  the  ship, 
And  pay  them  for  the  lengthened  trip. 
Named  « Hella-land '  and  '  Markland '  too, 
And  saw  an  island  sweet  with  dew  ! 
And  grapes  in  great  abundance  found, 
So  named  it  Vinland  all  around. 
But  after  that  forsook  the  shore, 
And  north  again  for  Greenland  bore. 

And  now — we  cross  the  moonlit  seas 
To  search  this  land  of  grapes  and  trees. 
Biarne,  Thorward,  Karlsefin — 
Go  forth  this  better  land  to  win, 
With  men  and  cattle  not  a  few, 
And  household  gear  and  weapons  too  ; 
And,  best  of  all,  with  women  dear, 
To  comfort,  counsel,  check,  and  cheer. 
Thus  far  we  've  made  a  prosp'rous  way, 
God  speed  us  onward  every  day  !  " 

They  all  agreed  that  this  was  a  true  account  of 
the  discovery  of  Vinland  and  of  their  own  expedi- 
tion as  far  as  it  had  gone,  though  Gudrid  said  it  was 
short,  and  Freydissa  was  of  opinion  that  there  was 
very  little  in  it. 

"But  hold!"  exclaimed  Biarne,  suddenly  raising 
himself  on  his  elbows ;  "  Karlsefin,  you  are  but  a 
sorry  skald  after  all." 


62  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"  How  so  ? "  asked  the  skipper. 

"Why,  because  you  have  made  no  mention  of  the 

chief  part  of  our  voyage." 

"  And  pray  what  may  that  be  ?" 

"  Stay,  I  too  am  a  skald ;  I  will  tell  you." 

Biarne,  whose  poetical  powers  were  not  of  the 

highest  type,  here   stretched  forth  his  hand  and 

said : — 

"  When  Biarne,  Thorward,  Karlsefin, 
This  famous  voyage  did  begin, 
They  stood  upon  the  deck  one  night, 
And  there  beheld  a  moving  sight. 
It  made  the  very  men  grow  pale, 
Their  shudder  almost  rent  the  sail ! 
For  lo  !  they  saw  a  mighty  whale  ! 

"  It  drew  a  shriek  from  Olaf  brave, 
Then  plunged  beneath  the  briny  wave, 
And,  while  the  women  loudly  shouted, 
Up  came  its  blundering  nose  and  spouted. 
Then  underneath  our  keel  it  went, 
And  glared  with  savage  fury  pent, 
And  round  about  the  ship  it  swum, 
Striking  each  man  and  woman  dumb. 

Stay — one  there  was  who  found  a  tongue 
And  still  retained  her  strength  of  lung. 
Freydissa,  beauteous  matron  bold, 
Resolved  to  give  that  whale  a  scold  1 
But  little  cared  that  monster  fish 
To  gratify  Freydissa's  wish  ; 
He  shook  his  tail,  that  naughty  whale, 
And  flourished  it  like  any  flail, 
And,  ho !  for  Vinland  he  made  sail !" 

"  Now,  friends,  was  not  that  a  great  omission  on 
%  part  of  Karlsefin  ?" 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  63 

"  If  the  whale  had  brought  his  flail  down  on  your 
pate  it  would  have  served  you  right,  Biarne/'  said 
Freydissa,  flushing,  yet  smiling  in  spite  of  herself. 

"  I  think  it  is  capital,"  cried  Olaf,  clapping  his 
hands — "  quite  as  good  as  the  other  poem." 

Some  agreed  with  Olaf,  and  some  thought  that  it 
was  not  quite  in  keeping  with  Karlsefin's  composi- 
tion, but,  after  much  debate,  it  was  finally  ruled  that 
it  should  be  added  thereto  as  part  and  parcel  of 
the  great  Vinland  poem.  Hence  it  appears  in  this 
chronicle,  and  forms  an  interesting  instance  of  the 
way  in  which  men,  for  the  sake  of  humorous  effect, 
mingle  little  pieces  of  fiction  with  veritable  history. 

By  the  time  this  important  matter  was  settled  it 
was  getting  so  late  that  even  the  most  enthusiastic 
admirer  among  them  of  moonlight  on  a  calm  sea 
became  irresistibly  desirous  of  going  to  sleep.  They 
therefore  broke  up  for  the  night;  the  women  re- 
tired to  their  cabin,  and  none  were  left  on  deck 
except  the  steersman  and  the  watch.  Long  before 
this  the  saga-tellers  on  the  forecastle  had  retired ; 
the  monotone  and  the  soft  lowing  of  the  cattle  had 
ceased ;  man  and  beast  had  sought  and  found  re- 
pose, and  nothing  was  heard  save  the  ripple  of  the 
water  on  the  ship's  sides  as  she  glided  slowly  but 
steadily  over  the  sleeping  sea. 


CHAPTEK  VI. 

CHANGES  IN  WIND  AND  WEATHER  PRODUCE  CHANGES  IN  TEMPER  AND 
FEELING— LAND  DISCOVERED,  AND  FREYDISSA  BECOMES  INQUISI- 
TIVE. 

THERE  are  few  things  that  impress  one  more 
at  sea  than  the  rapidity  of  the  transitions  which 
frequently  take  place  in  the  aspect  and  the  con- 
dition of  vessel,  sea,  and  sky.  At  one  time  all  may 
be  profoundly  tranquil  on  board ;  then,  perhaps,  the 
necessity  for  going  "  about  ship  "  arises,  and  all  is 
bustle ;  ropes  rattle,  blocks  clatter  and  chirp,  yards 
creak,  and  seamen's  feet  stamp  on  the  deck,  while 
their  voices  aid  their  hands  in  the  hauling  of  ropes ; 
and  soon  all  is  quiet  as  before.  Or,  perhaps,  the 
transition  is  effected  by  a  squall,  and  it  becomes 
more  thorough  and  lasting.  One  moment  every- 
thing in  nature  is  hushed  under  the  influence  of 
what  is  appropriately  enough  termed  a  "  dead  calm." 
In  a  few  seconds  a  cloud-bank  appears  on  the 
horizon  and  one  or  two  cats-paws  are  seen  shooting 
over  the  water.  A  few  minutes  more  and  the  sky 
is  clouded,  the  glassy  sea  is  ruffled,  the  pleasant 

64 


AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  65 

light  sinks  into  a  dull  leaden  grey,  the  wind  whistles 
over  the  ocean,  and  we  are — as  far  as  feeling  is  con- 
cerned— transported  into  another,  but  by  no  means 
a  better,  world. 

Thus  it  was  with  our  adventurers.  The  beautiful 
night  merged  into  a  "  dirty  "  morning,  the  calm  into 
a  breeze  so  stiff  as  to  be  almost  a  gale,  and  when 
Olaf  came  out  of  the  cabin,  holding  tight  to  the 
weather-bulwarks  to  prevent  himself  from  being 
thrown  into  the  lee-scuppers,  his  inexperienced 
heart  sank  within  him  at  the  dreary  prospect  of  the 
grey  sky  and  the  black  heaving  sea. 

But  young  Olaf  came  of  a  hardy  seafaring  race. 
He  kept  his  feelings  to  himself,  and  staggered  to- 
ward Karlsefin,  who  still  stood  at  his  post.  Olaf 
thought  he  had  been  there  all  night,  but  the  truth 
was  that  he  had  been  relieved  by  Biarne,  had  taken 
a  short  nap,  and  returned  to  the  helm. 

Karlsefin  was  now  clad  in  a  rough- weather  suit. 
He  wore  a  pair  of  untanned  sealskin  boots  and  a 
cap  of  the  same  material,  that  bore  a  strong  re- 
semblance in  shape  and  colour  to  the  sou'-westers  of 
the  present  day,  and  his  rough  heavy  coat,  closed  up 
to  the  chin,  was  in  texture  and  form  not  unlike  to 
the  pilot-cloth  jackets  of  modern  seamen — only  it 
had  tags  and  loops  instead  of  buttons  and  button- 
holes. With  his  legs  wide  apart,  he  stood  at  tlie 
tiller,  round  which  there  was  a  single  turn  of  a 
E 


66  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

rope  from  the  weather-bulwarks  to  steady  it  and 
himself.  The  boy  was  clad  in  miniature  costume  of 
much  the  same  cut  and  kind,  and  proud  was  he  to 
stagger  about  the  deck  with  his  little  legs  ridicul- 
ously wide  apart,  in  imitation  of  Thorward  and 
Biarne,  both  of  whom  were  there,  and  had,  he  ob- 
served, a  tendency  to  straddle. 

"  Come  hither,  Olaf,  and  learn  a  little  seaman- 
ship," said  Karlsefin,  with  a  good-humoured  smile. 

Olaf  said  he  would  be  glad  to  do  that,  and  made 
a  run  towards  the  tiller,  but  a  heavy  plunge  of  the 
ship  caused  him  to  sheer  off  in  quite  a  different 
direction,  and  another  lurch  would  have  sent  him 
head-foremost  against  the  lee -bulwarks  had  not 
Biarne,  with  a  laugh,  caught  him  by  the  nape  of  the 
neck  and  set  him  against  Karlsefin's  left  leg,  to 
which  he  clung  with  remarkable  tenacity. 

"  Ay,  hold  on  tight  to  that,  boy,"  said  the  leg's 
owner,  "  and  you  '11  be  safe.  A  few  days  will  put 
you  on  your  sea-legs,  lad,  and  then  you  won't  want 
to  hold  on." 

"Always  hold  your  head  up,  Olaf,  when  you 
move  about  aboard  ship  in  rough  weather,"  said 
Biarne,  pausing  a  minute  in  his  perambulation  of 
the  deck  to  give  the  advice,  "  and  look  overboard,  or 
up,  or  away  at  the  horizon — anywhere  except  at 
your  feet.  You  can't  see  how  the  ship  's  going  to 
roll,  you  know,  if  you  keep  looking  down  at  the  deck." 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  67 

Olaf  acted  on  this  advice  at  once,  and  then  be- 
gan to  question  Karlsefin  in  regard  to  many  nautical 
matters  which  it  is  not  necessary  to  set  down  here, 
while  Biarne  and  Thorward  leaned  on  the  bul- 
warks and  looked  somewhat  anxiously  to  wind- 
ward. 

Already  two  reefs  of  the  huge  sail  had  been  taken 
in,  and  Biarne  now  suggested  that  it  would  be  wise 
to  take  in  another. 

"  Let  it  be  done,"  said  Karlsefin. 

Thorward  ordered  the  men  to  reef,  and  the  head 
of  the  ship  was  brought  up  to  the  wind  so  as  to 
empty  the  sail  while  this  was  being  done. 

Before  it  was  quite  accomplished  some  of  the 
women  had  assembled  on  the  poop. 

"  This  is  not  pleasant  weather,"  observed  Gudrid, 
as  she  stood  holding  on  to  her  husband. 

"  We  must  not  expect  to  have  it  all  plain  sailing 
in  these  seas,"  replied  Karlsefin ;  "  but  the  dark  days 
will  make  the  bright  ones  seem  all  the  brighter." 

Gudrid  smiled  languidly  at  this,  but  made  no 
reply. 

Freydissa,  who  scorned  to  receive  help  from  man, 
had  vigorously  laid  hold  of  the  bulwarks  and  gradu- 
ally worked  her  way  aft.  She  appeared  to  be  ver^ 
much  out  of  sorts — as  indeed  all  the  women  were. 
There  was  a  greenish  colour  about  the  parts  of  their 
cheeks  that  ought  to  have  been  rosy,  and  a  whitey- 


68  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

blue  or  frosted  appearance  at  the  points  of  their 
noses,  which  damaged  the  beauty  of  the  prettiest 
among  them.  Freydissa  became  positively  plain — 
and  she  knew  it,  which  did  not  improve  her  temper. 
Astrid,  though  fair  and  exceedingly  pretty  by  nature, 
had  become  alarmingly  white  ;  and  Thora,  who  was 
dark,  had  become  painfully  yellow.  Poor  Bertha, 
too,  had  a  washed-out  appearance,  though  nothing  in 
the  way  of  lost  colour  or  otherwise  could  in  the  least 
detract  from  the  innocent  sweetness  of  her  counte- 
nance. She  did  not  absolutely  weep,  but  being  cold, 
sick,  and  in  a  state  of  utter  wretchedness,  she  had 
fallen  into  a  condition  of  chronic  whimpering,  which 
exceedingly  exasperated  Freydissa.  Bertha  was  one 
of  those  girls  who  are  regarded  by  some  of  their  own 
sex  with  a  species  of  mild  contempt,  but  who  are 
nevertheless  looked  upon  with  much  tenderness  by 
men,  which  perhaps  makes  up  to  them  for  this  to 
some  extent.  Gudrid  was  the  least  affected  among 
them  all  by  that  dire  malady,  which  appears  to  have 
been  as  virulent  in  the  tenth  as  it  is  in  the  nine- 
teenth century,  and  must  have  come  in  with  the 
Flood,  if  not  before  it. 

"  Why  don't  you  go  below,"  said  Freydissa  testily, 
"  instead  of  shivering  up  here  ? " 

"  I  get  so  sick  below,"  answered  Bertha,  endeavour- 
ing to  brighten  up,  "  that  I  thought  it  better  to  try 
what  fresh  air  would  do  for  me." 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  69 

"  H'm  !  it  doesn't  appear  to  do  much  for  you/' 
retorted  Freydissa. 

As  she  spoke  a  little  spray  broke  over  the  side  of 
the  ship  and  fell  on  the  deck  near  them.  Karlsefin 
had  great  difficulty  in  preventing  this,  for  a  short 
cross-sea  was  running,  and  it  was  only  by  dint  of 
extremely  good  and  careful  steering  that  he  kept 
the  poop-deck  dry.  In  a  few  minutes  a  little  more 
spray  flew  inboard,  and  some  of  it  striking  Bertha 
on  the  head  ran  down  her  shoulders.  Karlsefin 
was  much  grieved  at  this,  but  Freydissa  laughed 
heartily. 

Instead  of  making  Bertha  worse,  however,  the 
shock  had  the  effect  of  doing  her  a  little  good,  and 
she  laughed  in  a  half-pitiful  way  as  she  ran  down 
below  to  dry  herself. 

"It  serves  you  right,"  cried  Freydissa  as  she 
passed  ;  "  I  wish  you  had  got  more  of  it." 

Now  Karlsefin  was  a  man  whose  temper  was  not 
easily  affected,  and  he  seldom  or  never  took  offence 
at  anything  done  or  said  to  himself,  but  the  unkind- 
ness  of  Freydissa's  speech  to  poor  Bertha  nettled 
him  greatly. 

"  Get  behind  me,  Gudrid,"  he  said  quickly. 

Gudrid  obeyed,  wondering  at  the  stern  order,  and 
Karlsefin  gave  a  push  to  the  tiller  with  his  leg. 
Next  moment  a  heavy  sea  struck  the  side  of  the 
ship,  burst  over'  the  bulwarks,  completely  over- 


70  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

whelmed  Freydissa,  and  swept  the  deck  fore  and 
aft — wetting  every  one  more  or  less  except  Gudrid, 
who  had  been  almost  completely  sheltered  behind 
her  husband.  A  sail  which  had  been  spread  over 
the  waist  of  the  ship  prevented  much  damage  being 
done  to  the  men,  and  of  course  all  the  water  that 
fell  on  the  forecastle  and  poop  ran  out  at  the  scup- 
per-holes. 

This  unexpected  shower-bath  at  once  cleared  the 
poop  of  the  women.  Fortunately  Thora  and  Astrid 
had  been  standing  to  leeward  of  Biarne  and  Thor- 
ward,  and  had  received  comparatively  little  of  the 
shower,  but  Freydissa  went  below  with  streaming 
hair  and  garments, — as  Biarne  remarked, — like  an 
elderly  mermaid ! 

"You  must  have  been  asleep  when  that  hap- 
pened," said  Thorward  to  Karlsefin  in  surprise. 

"  He  must  have  been  sleeping,  then,  with  his 
eyes  open,"  said  Biarne,  with  an  amused  look. 

Karlsefin  gazed  sternly  towards  the  ship's  head, 
and  appeared  to  be  attending  with  great  care  to  the 
helm,  but  there  was  a  slight  twinkle  in  his  eye  as 
he  said — 

"  Well,  it  was  my  intention  to  wash  the  decks  a 
little,  but  more  spray  came  inboard  than  I  counted 
on.  Tis  as  dangerous  to  play  with  water,  some- 
times, as  with  fire." 

"  There  is  truth  in  that,"  said  Biarne,  laughing ; 


OK  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  71 

"  and  I  fear  that  this  time  water  will  be  found  to 
have  kindled  fire,  for  when  Freydissa  went  below 
she  looked  like  the  smoking  mountain  of  Iceland — 
as  if  there  was  something  hot  inside  and  about  to 
boil  up." 

Karlsefin  smiled,  but  made  no  reply,  for  the  gale 
was  increasing  every  moment,  and  the  management 
of  the  ship  soon  required  the  earnest  attention  of  all 
the  seamen  on  board. 

Fortunately  it  was  a  short-lived  gale.  When  it 
had  passed  away  and  the  sea  had  returned  to  some- 
thing like  its  former  quiescent  state,  and  the  sun 
had  burst  through  and  dissipated  the  grey  clouds, 
our  female  voyagers  returned  to  the  deck  and  to 
their  wonted  condition  of  health. 

Soon  after  that  they  came  in  sight  of  land. 

"Now,  Biarne,"  said  Karlsefin,  after  the  look-out 
on  the  forecastle  had  shouted  "Land  ho!"  "come, 
give  me  your  opinion  of  this  new  land  that  we  have 
made. — Do  you  mind  the  helm,  Thorward,  while  we 
go  to  the  ship's  head." 

The  two  went  forward,  and  on  the  forecastle  they 
found  Olaf,  flushed  with  excitement,  and  looking  as 
if  something  had  annoyed  him. 

"Ho,  Olaf!  you're  not  sorry  to  see  land,  are 
you  ?"  said  Biarne. 

"  Sorry  !  no,  not  I ;  but  I  'm  sorry  to  be  cheated 
of  my  due." 


72  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"How  so,  boy?" 

"  Why,  /discovered  the  land  first,  and  that  fellow 
there,"  pointing  to  the  man  on  look-out,  "  shouted 
before  me." 

"  But  why  did  you  not  shout  before  him  ?"  asked 
Karlsefm,  as  he  and  Biarne  surveyed  the  distant 
land  with  keen  interest. 

"  Just  because  he  took  me  unawares,"  replied 
the  boy  indignantly.  "When  I  saw  it  I  did  not 
wish  to  be  hasty.  It  might  have  turned  out'  to  be 
a  cloud,  or  a  fog-bank,  and  I  might  have  given  a 
false  alarm ;  so  I  pointed  it  out  to  him,  and  asked 
what  he  thought ;  but  instead  of  answering  me  he 
gaped  with  his  ugly  mouth  and  shouted  '  Land  ho !' 
I  could  have  kicked  him." 

"  Nay,  Olaf,  that  is  not  well  said,"  observed  Karl- 
sefin, very  gravely  ;  "  if  you  could  have  kicked  him 
you  would  have  kicked  him.  Why  did  you  not  do 
it?" 

"  Because  he  is  too  big  for  me,"  answered  the  boy 
promptly. 

*  So,  then,  thy  courage  is  only  sufficient  to  make 
thee  kick  those  who  are  small  enough,"  returned 
Karlsefin,  with  a  frown.  "  Perhaps  if  you  were  as 
big  as  he  you  would  be  afraid  to  kick  him." 

"  That  would  not  I,"  retorted  Olaf. 

"  It  is  easy  for  you  to  say  that,  boy,  when  you 
know  that  he  would  not  strike  you  now,  and  that 


OK  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  73 

there  is  small  chance  of  your  meeting  again  after 
you  have  grown  up  to  prove  the  truth  of  what  you 
say.  It  is  mere  boasting,  Olaf ;  and,  mark  me,  you 
will  never  be  a  brave  man  if  you  begin  by  being  a 
boastful  boy.  A  truly  brave  and  modest  man — for 
modesty  and  bravery  are  wont  to  consort  together 
— never  says  he  will  strike  until  he  sees  it  to  be 
right  to  do  so.  Sometimes  he  does  not  even  go  the 
length  of  speaking  at  all ;  but,  in  any  case,  having 
made  up  his  mind  to  strike,  he  strikes  at  once,  with- 
out more  ado,  let  the  consequences  be  what  they 
will.  But  in  my  opinion  it  is  best  not  to  strike 
at  all.  Do  you  know,  Olaf,  my  boy,  some  of  the 
bravest  men  I  ever  knew  have  never  struck  a  blow 
since  they  came  to  manhood,  excepting,  of  course, 
when  compelled  to  do  so  in  battle ;  and  then  they 
struck  such  blows  as  made  shields  and  helmets  fly, 
and  strewed  the  plain  with  their  foes." 

"Did  these  men  never  boast  when  they  were 
boys  ?"  asked  Olaf,  with  a  troubled  air. 

Karlsefin  relaxed  into  a  smile  as  he  said,  "  Only 
when  they  were  very  little  boys,  and  very  foolish  ; 
but  they  soon  came  to  see  how  contemptible  it  is  to 
threaten  and  not  perform  ;  so  they  gave  up  threat- 
ening, and  when  performance  came  to  be  necessary 
they  found  that  threats  were  needless.  Now,  Olaf, 
I  want  you  to  be  a  bold,  brave  man,  and  I  must 
pull  you  through  the  foolish  boasting  period  as 


74  THE  NOKSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

quickly  as  possible,  therefore  I  tell  you  these  things. 
Think  on  them,  my  boy." 

Olaf  was  evidently  much  relieved  by  the  conclud- 
ing remarks.  While  Karlsefin  was  speaking  he  had 
felt  ashamed  of  himself,  because  he  was  filled  with 
admiration  of  the  magnificent  skipper,  and  wanted 
to  stand  well  in  his  opinion.  It  was  therefore 
no  small  comfort  to  find  that  his  boasting  had 
been  set  down  to  his  foolishness,  and  that  there 
was  good  reason  to  hope  he  might  ultimately  grow 
out  of  it. 

But  Olaf  had  much  more  of  the  true  metal  in 
him  than  he  himself  was  aware  of.  Without  say- 
ing a  word  about  it,  he  resolved  not  to  wait  for  the 
result  of  this  slow  process  of  growth,  but  to  jump, 
vault,  or  fly  out  of  the  boastful  period  of  life,  by 
hook  or  by  crook,  and  that  without  delay.  And  he 
succeeded !  Not  all  at  once,  of  course.  He  had 
many  a  slip  ;  but  he  persevered,  and  finally  got  out 
of  it  much  sooner  than  would  have  been  the  case 
if  he  had  not  taken  any  trouble  to  think  about  the 
matter,  or  to  try. 

Meanwhile,  however,  he  looked  somewhat  crest- 
fallen. This  being  observed  by  the  look-out,  that 
worthy  was  prompted  to  say — 

"  I  'm  sure,  Olaf,  you  are  welcome  to  kick  me  if 
that  will  comfort  you,  but  there  is  no  occasion  to  do 
so,  because  I  claim  not  the  honour  of  first  seeing  the 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  75 

land — and  if  I  had  known  the  state  of  your  mind  I 
would  willingly  have  let  you  give  the  hail." 

"  You  may  have  been  first  to  discover  it  at  this 
time,  Olaf,"  said  Biarne,  turning  round  after  he  had 
made  up  his  mind  about  it,  "  and  no  doubt  you  were, 
since  the  look-out  admits  it ;  nevertheless  this  is  the 
land  that  I  discovered  twenty  years  ago.  But  we 
shall  make  it  out  more  certainly  in  an  hour  or  two  if 
this  breeze  holds." 

The  breeze  did  hold,  and  soon  they  were  close 
under  the  land. 

"  Now  am  I  quite  certain  of  it,"  said  Biarne,  as 
he  stood  on  the  poop,  surrounded  by  all  his  friends, 
who  gazed  eagerly  at  the  shore,  to  which  they  had 
approached  so  close  that  the  rocks  and  bushes  were 
distinctly  visible ;  "  that  is  the  very  same  land  which 
I  saw  before." 

"What,  Yinland  ?"  asked  Freydissa. 

"  Nay,  not  Vinland.  Are  you  so  eager  to  get  at 
the  grapes  that  ye  think  the  first  land  we  meet  is 
Vinland?" 

"  A  truce  to  your  jesting,  Biarne ;  what  land  is  it  ?" 

"  It  is  the  land  I  saw  last  when  leaving  this  coast 
in  search  of  Greenland,  so  that  it  seems  not  un- 
natural to  find  it  first  on  coming  back  to  it.  Leif, 
on  his  voyage,  went  on  shore  here.  He  named  it 
Helloland,  which,  methinks,  was  a  fitting  name,  for 
it  is,  as  you  see,  a  naked  land  of  rocks." 


76  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"  Now,  then,"  said  Karlsefm,  "  lower  the  sail,  heave 
out  the  anchor,  and  let  two  men  cast  loose  the  little 
boat.  Some  of  us  will  land  and  see  what  we  shall 
see ;  for  it  must  not  be  said  of  us,  Biarne,  as  it  was 
unfairly  said  of  you,  that  we  took  no  interest  in 
these  new  regions." 

The  little  boat  was  got  ready.  The  Scottish 
brothers,  Hake  and  Heika,  were  appointed  to  row. 
Karlsefin,  Biarne,  Thorward,  Gudrid,  Freydissa,  and 
Olaf  embarked  and  proceeded  to  the  shore. 

This  land,  on  which  the  party  soon  stood,  was  not 
of  an  inviting  aspect.  It  was  sterile,  naked,  and 
very  rocky,  as  Biarne  had  described  it,  and  not  a 
blade  of  grass  was  to  be  seen.  There  was  a  range 
of  high  snow-capped  mountains  in  the  interior,  and 
all  the  way  from  the  coast  up  to  these  mountains 
the  land  was  covered  with  snow.  In  truth,  a  more 
forbidding  spot  could  not  easily  have  been  found, 
even  in  Greenland. 

"  It  seems  to  me,"  said  Freydissa,  "  that  your  new 
land  is  but  a  sorry  place — worse  than  that  we  have 
left.  I  wonder  at  your  landing  here.  It  is  plain 
that  men  see  with  flushed  eyes  when  they  look  upon 
their  own  discoveries.  Cold  comfort  is  all  we  shall 
get  in  this  place.  I  counsel  that  we  return  on  board 
immediately." 

"  You  are  too  hasty,  sister,"  said  Gudrid. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  77 

"  Oh !  of  course,  always  too  hasty,"  retorted  Frey- 
dissa  sharply. 

"And  somewhat  too  bitter,"  growled  Thorward, 
with  a  frown. 

Thorward  was  not  an  ill-natured  man,  but  his 
wife's  sharp  temper  tried  him  a  good  deal 

"Your  interrupting  me  before  you  heard  all  I 
had  to  say  proves  you  to  be  too  hasty,  sister,"  said 
Gudrid,  with  a  playful  laugh.  "  I  was  about  to  add 
that  it  seems  we  have  come  here  rather  early  in 
the  spring.  Who  knows  but  the  land  may  wear 
a  prettier  dress  when  the  mantle  of  winter  is  gone  ? 
Even  Greenland  looks  green  and  bright  in  summer." 

"  Not  in  those  places  where  the  snow  lies  all  the 
summer,"  objected  Olaf. 

"That's  right,  Olaf,"  said  Biarne ;  "stick  up  for 
your  sweet  aunt.  She  often  takes  a  stick  up  for  you, 
lad,  and  deserves  your  gratitude. — But  come,  let's 
scatter  and  survey  the  land,  for,  be  it  good  or  bad, 
we  must  know  what  it  is,  and  carry  with  us  some  re- 
port such  as  Karlsefin  may  weave  into  his  rhymes." 

"  This  land  would  be  more  suitable  for  your 
rhymes,  Biarne,  than  for  mine,"  said  Karlsefin,  as 
they  started  off  together,  "  because  it  is  most 
dismal." 

After  that  the  whole  party  scattered.  The  three 
leaders  ascended  the  nearest  heights  in  different 


78  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

directions,  and  Gudrid  with  Olaf  went  searching 
among  the  rocks  and  pools  to  ascertain  what  sort  of 
creatures  were  to  be  found  there,  while  Freydissa 
sat  down  and  sulked  upon  a  rock.  She  soon  grew 
tired  of  sulking,  however,  and,  looking  about  her, 
observed  the  brothers,  who  had  been  left  in  charge 
of  the  boat,  standing  as  if  engaged  in  earnest  con- 
versation. 

She  had  not  before  this  paid  much  attention  to 
these  brothers,  and  was  somewhat  struck  writh  their 
appearance,  for,  as  we  have  said  before,  they  were 
good  specimens  of  men.  Hake,  the  younger  of  the 
two,  had  close  curling  auburn  hair,  and  bright  blue 
eyes.  His  features  were  not  exactly  handsome,  but 
the  expression  of  his  countenance  was  so  winning  that 
people  were  irresistibly  attracted  by  it.  The  elder 
brother,  Heika,  was  very  like  him,  but  not  so  attrac- 
tive in  his  appearance.  Both  were  fully  six  feet 
high,  and  though  thin,  as  has  been  said,  their  limbs 
were  beautifully  moulded,  and  they  possessed  much 
greater  strength  than  most  people  gave  them  credit 
for.  In  aspect,  thought,  and  conversation,  they  were 
naturally  grave,  and  very  earnest ;  nevertheless,  they 
could  be  easily  roused  to  mirth. 
Going  up  to  them,  Freydissa  said — 
"  Ye  seem,  to  have  earnest  talk  together." 
"  We  have,"  answered  Heika.  "  Our  talk  is  about 
home." 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLMUBUS.  79 

"I  am  told  that  your  home  is  in  the  Scottish 
land,"  said  Freydissa. 

"  It  is,"  answered  Hake,  with  a  kindling  eye. 

"How  come  you  to  be  so  far  from  home ?"  asked 
Freydissa. 

"  We  were  taken  prisoners  two  years  ago  by  vik- 
ings from  Norway,  when  visiting  our  father  in  a 
village  near  the  Forth  fiord." 

"  How  did  that  happen  ?  Come,  tell  me  the 
story  ;  but,  first,  who  is  your  father  ? 

"  He  is  an  earl  of  Scotland,"  said  Heika. 

"  Ha !  and  I  suppose  ye  think  a  Scottish  earl  is 
better  than  a  Norse  king?" 

Heika  smiled  as  he  replied,  "  I  have  never  thought 
of  making  a  comparison  between  them." 

"Well — how  were  you  taken  ?" 

"  We  were,  as  I  have  said,  on  a  visit  to  our  father, 
who  dwelt  sometimes  in  a  small  village  on  the  shores 
of  the  Forth,  for  the  sake  of  bathing  in  the  sea 
— for  he  is  sickly.  One  night,  while  we  slept,  a 
Norse  long-ship  came  to  land.  Those  who  should 
have  been  watching  slumbered.  The  Norsemen 
surrounded  my  father's  house  without  awaking  any 
one,  and,  entering  by  a  window  which  had  not  been 
securely  fastened,  overpowered  Hake  and  me  before 
we  knew  where  we  were.  We  struggled  hard,  but 
what  could  two  unarmed  men  do  among  fifty  ?  The 
noise  we  made,  however,  roused  the  village  and  pre- 


80  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

vented  the  vikings  from  discovering  our  father's 
room,  which  was  on  the  upper  floor.  They  had  to 
fight  their  way  back  to  the  ship,  and  lost  many 
men  on  the  road,  but  they  succeeded  in  carrying  us 
two  on  board,  bound  with  cords.  They  took  us 
over  the  sea  to  Norway.  There  we  became  slaves 
to  King  Olaf  Triggvisson,  by  whom,  as  you  know, 
we  were  sent  to  Leif  Ericsson." 

"No  doubt  ye  think,"  said  Freydissa,  "that  if 
you  had  not  been  caught  sleeping  ye  would  have 
given  the  Norsemen  some  trouble  to  secure  you." 

They  both  laughed  at  this. 

"  We  have  had  some  thoughts  of  that  kind,"  said 
Hake  brightly,  "  but  truly  we  did  give  them  some 
trouble  even  as  it  was." 

"  I  knew  it,"  cried  the  dame  rather  sharply ; 
"  the  conceit  of  you  men  goes  beyond  all  bounds ! 
Ye  always  boast  of  what  valiant  deeds  you  would 
have  done  if  something  or  other  had  been  in  your 
favour." 

"  We  made  no  boast,"  replied  Heika  gravely. 

"  If  you  did  not  speak  it,  ye  thought  it,  I  doubt 
not. — But,  tell  me,  is  your  land  as  good  a  land  as 
Norway?" 

"  We  love  it  better,"  replied  Heika. 

"  But  is  it  better  ? "  asked  Freydissa. 

"  We  would  rather  dwell  in  it  than  in  Norway," 
said  Hake. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  81 

"  Then  I  suppose  ye  will  rest  ill  content  with 
Greenland." 

"  We  hope  not.  But  we  would  prefer  to  be  in  our 
own  land,"  replied  the  elder  "brother,  sadly,  "  for  there 
is  no  place  like  home." 

At  this  point  Karlsefin  and  the  rest  of  the  party 
came  back  to  the  shore  and  put  an  end  to  the  con- 
versation. Returning  on  board  they  drew  up  the 
anchor,  hoisted  sail,  and  again  put  out  to  sea. 


CHAPTEE   VII. 

BONGS  AND  SAGAS. — VINLAND  AT  LAST! 

IN  days  of  old,  just  as  in  modern  times,  tars, 
when  at  sea,  were  wont  to  assemble  on  the  "  fog'sl/ 
or  forecastle,  and  spin  yarns — as  we  have  seen — 
when  the  weather  was  fine  and  their  work  was 
done. 

One  sunny  afternoon,  on  the  forecastle  of  Karl- 
sefin's  ship — which,  by  the  way,  was  called  "The 
Snake,"  and  had  a  snake's  head  and  neck  for  a  fig- 
ure-head— there  was  assembled  a  group  of  seamen, 
among  whom  were  Tyrker  the  Turk,  one  of  Thor- 
ward's  men  named  Swend,  who  was  very  stout  and 
heavy,  and  one  of  Karlsefin's  men  called  Krake,  who 
was  a  wild  jocular  man  with  a  peculiar  twang  in  his 
speech,  the  result  of  having  been  long  a  prisoner  in 
Ireland.  We  mention  these  men  particularly,  be- 
cause it  was  they  who  took  the  chief  part  in  con- 
versations and  in  story-telling.  The  two  Scots  were 
also  there,  but  they  were  very  quiet,  and  talked 
little ;  nevertheless,  they  were  interested  arid  at- 

82 


AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  83 

tentive  listeners.  Olaf  was  there  also,  all  eyes  and 
ears, — for  Olaf  drank  in  stories,  and  songs,  and  jests, 
as  the  sea-sand  drinks  water — so  said  Tyrker ;  but 
Krake  immediately  contradicted  him,  saying  that 
when  the  sea-sand  was  full  of  water  it  drank  no 
more,  as  was  plain  from  the  fact  that  it  did  not 
drink  up  the  sea,  whereas  Olaf  went  on  drink- 
ing and  was  never  satisfied. 

"  Come,  sing  us  a  song,  Krake,"  cried  Tyrker, 
giving  the  former  a  slap  on  the  shoulder ;  "  let  us 
hear  how  the  Danish  kings  were  served  by  the  Irish 
boys." 

"  Not  I"  said  Krake,  firmly.  "  I  've  told  ye  two 
stories  already.  It 's  Hake's  turn  now  to  give  us  a 
song,  or  what  else  he  pleases." 

"  But  you  '11  sing  it  after  Hake  has  sung,  won't 
you,  Krake  ? "  pleaded  several  of  the  men. 

"  1 11  not  say  'No 'to  that." 

Hake,  who  possessed  a  soft  and  deep  bass  voice 
of  very  fine  quality,  at  once  acceded  to  the  request 
for  a  song.  Crossing  his  arms  on  his  chest,  and 
looking,  as  if  in  meditation,  towards  the  eastern 
horizon,  he  sang,  to  one  of  his  national  airs,  "  The 
Land  across  the  Sea." 

The  deep  pathos  of  Hake's  voice,  more  than  the 
words,  melted  these  hardy  Norsemen  almost  to  tears, 
and  for  a  few  minutes  effectually  put  to  flight  'the 
spirit  of  fun  that  had  prevailed. 


84  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"  That's  your  own  composing  I  '11  be  bound,"  said 
Krake,  "an'  sure  it's  not  bad.  It's  Scotland  you 
mean,  no  doubt,  by  the  land  across  the  sea.  Ah ! 
I  've  heard  much  of  that  land.  The  natives  are 
very  fond  of  it,  they  say.  It  must  be  a  fine  country. 
I  've  heard  Irishmen,  who  have  been  there,  say  that 
if  it  wasn't  for  Ireland  they'd  think  it  the  finest 
country  in  the  world." 

"  No  doubt,"  answered  Hake  with  a  laugh,  "  and 
I  dare  say  Swend,  there,  would  think  it  the  finest 
country  in  the  world  after  Norway." 

"  Ha !  Gamle  Norge," l  said  Swend  with  enthusi- 
asm, "  there  is  no  country  like  that  under  the 
sun." 

"  Except  Greenland,"  said  Olaf,  stoutly. 

"Or  Iceland,"  observed  Biarne,  who  had  joined 
the  group.  "  Where  can  you  show  such  mountains 
— spouting  fire,  and  smoke,  and  melted  stones, — or 
such  boiling  fountains,  ten  feet  thick  and  a  hundred 
feet  high,  as  we  have  in  Iceland  ? " 

"  That's  true,"  observed  Krake,  who  was  an  Ice- 
lander. 

"  Oh  ! "  exclaimed  Tyrker,  with  a  peculiar  twist 
of  his  ugly  countenance,  "  Turkey  is  the  land  that 
beats  all  others  completely." 

At  this  there  was  a  general  laugh. 

"Why,  how  can  that  be?"   cried  Swend,  who 

i  Old  Norway. 


OR  AMEEICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  85 

was  inclined  to  take  up  the  question  rather  hotly. 
"  What  have  you  to  boast  of  in  Turkey  ? " 

"  Eh  !  What  have  we  not,  is  the  question.  What 
shall  I  say  ?  Ha !  we  have  grapes  there ;  and  we 
do  make  such  a  drink  of  them — Oh  ! — " 

Here  Tyrker  screwed  his  face  and  figure  into 
what  was  meant  for  a  condition  of  ecstasy. 

"  'Twere  well  that  they  had  no  grapes  there, 
Tyrker,"  said  Biarne,  "  for  if  all  he  true  that  Karl- 
sefin  tells  us  of  that  drink,  they  would  be  better 
without  it." 

"  I  wish  I  had  it !"  remarked  Tyrker,  pathetically. 

"  Well,  it  is  said  that  we  shall  find  grapes  in 
Vinland,"  observed  Swend,  "and  as  we  are  told 
there  is  everything  else  there  that  man  can  desire, 
our  new  country  will  beat  all  the  others  put  to- 
gether,— so  hurrah  for  Vinland  ! " 

The  cheer  was  given  with  right  good-will,  and 
then  Tyrker  reminded  Krake  of  his  promise  to  sing 
a  song.  Krake,  whose  jovial  spirits  made  him 
always  ready  for  anything,  at  once  struck  up  to  a 
rattling  ditty  : — 

THE   DANISH  KINGS. 

ONE  night  when  one  o'  the  Irish  Kinga 
Was  sleeping  in  his  bed, 

Six  Danish  Kings — so  Sigvat  sings- 
Came  an'  cut  off  his  head. 


86  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

The  Irish  bo}Ts  they  heard  the  noise, 

And  flocked  unto  the  shore  ; 
They  caught  the  kings,  and  put  out  their  oyes, 

Arid  left  them  in  their  gore. 

Chorus — Oh  !  this  is  the  way  we  served  the  kings, 

An'  spoiled  their  pleasure,  the  dirty  things, 
When  they  came  to  harry  and  flap  their  wing3 
Upon  the  Irish  shore — ore, 
Upon  the  Irish  shore. 

Next  year  the  Danes  took  terrible  pains 

To  wipe  that  stain  away  ; 
They  came  with  a  fleet,  their  foes  to  meet, 

Across  the  stormy  say. 
Each  Irish  carl  great  stones  did  hurl 

In  such  a  mighty  rain, 
The  Danes  went  down,  with  a  horrible  stoun, 

An'  never  came  up  again  ! 

Oh  !  this  is  the  way,  etc. 

The  men  were  still  laughing  and  applauding 
Krake's  song  when  Olaf,  who  chanced  to  look  over 
the  bow  of  the  vessel,  started  up  and  shouted  "  Land, 
ho  ! "  in  a  shrill  voice,  that  rang  through  the  whole 
ship. 

Instantly,  the  poop  and  forecastle  were  crowded, 
and  there,  on  the  starboard  bow,  they  saw  a  faint 
blue  line  of  hills  far  away  on  the  horizon.  Olaf  got 
full  credit  for  having  discovered  the  land  first  on 
this  occasion;  and  for  some  time  everything  else 
was  forgotten  in  speculations  as  to  what  this  new 
land  would  turn  out  to  be ;  but  the  wind,  which  had 
been  getting  lighter  every  hour  that  day,  died  away 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  87 

almost  to  a  calm,  so  that,  as  there  was  no  prospect 
of  reaching  the  land  for  some  hours,  the  men  gradu- 
ally fell  back  to  their  old  places  and  occupation. 

"  Now,  then,  Krake,"  said  Tyrker,  "  tell  us  the 
story  about  that  king  you  were  talking  of  the  other 
day ;  which  was  it  ?  Harald — " 

"  Ay,  King  Harald,"  said  Krake,  "  and  how  he 
came  to  get  the  name  of  Greyskin.  Well,  you  must 
know  that  it's  not  many  years  ago  since  my  father, 
Sigurd,  was  a  trader  between  Iceland  and  Norway. 
He  went  to  other  places  too,  sometimes — and  once 
to  Ireland,  on  which  occasion  it  was  that  I  was 
taken  prisoner  and  kept  so'long  in  the  country,  that 
I  became  an  Irishman.  But  after  escaping  and 
getting  home  I  managed  to  change  back  into  an 
Icelander,  as  ye  may  see !  Well,  in  my  father's 
younger  days,  before  I  was  born — which  was  a  pity, 
for  he  needed  help  sorely  at  that  time,  and  I  would 
have  been  just  the  man  to  turn  myself  handy  to 
any  sort  of  work ;  however,  it  wasn't  my  fault, — in 
his  younger  days,  my  father  one  summer  went  over 
from  Iceland  to  Norway, — his  ship  loaded  till  she 
could  hardly  float,  with  skins  and  peltry,  chiefly 
grey  wolves.  It's  my  opinion  that  the  reason  she 
didn't  go  down  was  that  they  had  packed  her  so 
tight  there  was  no  room  for  the  water  to  get  in  and 
sink  her.  Anyway,  over  the  sea  she  went  and  got 
safe  to  Norway. 


88  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"  At  that  time  King  Harald,  one  of  the  sons  of 
Eric,  reigned  in  Norway,  after  the  death  of  King 
Hakon  the  Good.  He  and  my  father  were  great 
friends,  but  they  had  not  met  for  some  time ;  and 
not  since  Harald  had  come  to  his  dignity.  My 
father  sailed  to  Hardanger,  intending  to  dispose  of 
his  pelts  there  if  he  could.  Now,  King  Harald 
generally  had  his  seat  in  Hordaland  and  Eogaland, 
and  some  of  his  brothers  were  usually  with  him ;  but 
it  chanced  that  year  that  they  went  to  Hardanger,  so 
my  father  and  the  king  met,  and  had  great  doings, 
drinking  beer  and  talking  about  old  times  when  they 
were  boys  together. 

"My  father  then  went  to  the  place  where  the 
greatest  number  of  people  were  met  in  the  fiord, 
but  nobody  would  buy  any  of  his  skins.  He 
couldn't  understand  this  at  all,  and  was  very  much 
annoyed  at  it,  and  at  night  when  he  was  at  supper 
with  the  king  he  tells  him  about  it.  The  king  was 
in  a  funny  humour  that  night.  He  had  dashed  his 
beard  with  beer  to  a  great  extent,  and  laughed 
heartily  sometimes  without  my  father  being  able  to 
see  what  was  the  joke.  But  my  father  was  a  know- 
ing man.  He  knew  well  enough  that  people  are 
sometimes  given  to  hearty  laughter  without  troubling 
themselves  much  about  the  joke — especially  when 
they  are  beery, — so  he  laughed  too,  out  of  friendli- 
ness, and  was  very  sociable. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  89 

"  When  my  father  went  away  the  king  promised 
to  pay  him  a  visit  on  board  of  his  ship  next  day, 
which  he  did,  sure  enough ;  and  my  father  took  care 
to  let  it  be  known  that  he  was  coming,  so  there  was 
no  lack  of  the  principal  people  thereabouts.  They 
had  all  come  down  together,  by  the  merest  chance, 
to  the  place  where  the  ship  lay,  just  to  enjoy  the 
fresh  air — being  fresher  there  that  day  than  at  most 
other  places  on  the  fiord,  no  doubt ! 

"  King  Harald  came  with  a  fully-manned  boat,  and 
a  number  of  followers.  He  was  very  condescending 
and  full  of  fun,  as  he  had  been  the  night  before. 
When  he  was  going  away  he  looked  at  the  skins, 
and  said  to  my  father,  '  Wilt  thou  give  me  a  present 
of  one  of  these  wolf-skins  ? ' 

"  *  Willingly/  says  my  father,  '  and  as  many  more 
as  you  please/ 

"  On  this,  the  king  wrapped  himself  up  in  a  wolf- 
skin and  went  back  to  his  boat  and  rowed  away. 
Immediately  after,  all  the  boats  in  his  suite  came 
alongside  and  looked  at  the  wolf- skins  with  great 
admiration,  and  every  man  bought  just  such  another 
wolf-skin  as  the  king  had  got.  In  a  few  days  so 
many  people  came  to  buy  skins,  that  not  half  of 
them  could  be  served  with  what  they  wanted,  and 
the  upshot  was  that  my  father's  vessel  was  cleared 
out  down  to  the  keel,  and  thereafter  the  king  went, 
as  you  know,  by  the  name  of  Harald  Greyskin. 


90  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"  But  here  we  are,  comrades,"  continued  Krake, 
rising,  "  drawing  near  to  the  land, — I  '11  have  a 
look  at  it." 

The  country  off  which  they  soon  cast  anchor  was 
flat  and  overgrown  with  wood ;  and  the  strand  far 
around  consisted  of  white  sand,  and  was  Very  low 
towards  the  sea.  Biarne  said  that  it  was  the  country 
to  which  Leif  had  given  the  name  of  Markland,  be- 
cause it  was  well -wooded;  they  therefore  went 
ashore  in  the  small  boat,  but  finding  nothing  in 
particular  to  attract  their  interest,  they  soon  re- 
turned on  board  and  again  put  to  sea  with  an  on- 
shore wind  from  the  north-east.1 

For  two  days  they  continued  their  voyage  with 
the  same  wind,  and  then  made  land  for  the  third 
time  and  found  it  to  be  an  island.  It  was  blowing 
hard  at  the  time,  and  Biarne  advised  that  they 
should  take  shelter  there  and  wait  for  good  weather. 
This  they  did,  and,  as  before,  a  few  of  them  landed 
to  explore  the  country,  but  there  was  not  much  to 
take  note  of.  Little  Olaf,  who  was  one  of  the  ex- 
plorers, observed  dew  on  the  grass,  and,  remember- 
ing that  Leif  had  said  that  the  dew  on  one  of  the 
islands  which  he  met  with  was  sweet,  he  shook  some 
into  the  hollow  of  his  hand  and  tasted  it,  but  looked 
disappointed. 

1  Some  antiquaries  appear  to  be  of  opinion  that  Helloland  must 
have  been  Newfoundland,  and  Markland  some  part  of  Nova  Scotia. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  91 

"Are  you  thirsty,  Olaf?"  asked  Karlsefin,  who, 
with  Biarne,  walked  beside  him. 

"  No,  but  I  wondered  if  the  dew  would  be  sweet. 
My  father  said  it  was,  on  one  of  the  islands  he  came 
to.'" 

"  Foolish  boy,"  said  Biarne,  laughing ;  "  Leif  did 
but  speak  in  a  figure.  He  was  very  hot  and  tired 
at  the  time,  and  found  the  dew  sweet  to  his  thirsty 
spirit  as  well  as  refreshing  to  his  tongue." 

"  Thus  you  see,  Olaf,"  observed  Karlsefin,  with  a 
sly  look  at  Biarne,  "  whenever  you  chance  to  observe 
your  father  getting  angry,  and  hear  him  say  that  his 
beer  is  sour,  you  are  not  to  suppose  that  it  is  really 
sour,  but  must  understand  that  it  is  only  sour  to  his 
cross  spirit  as  well  as  disagreeable  to  his  tongue." 

Olaf  received  this  with  a  loud  laugh,  for,  though 
he  was  puzzled  for  a  moment  by  Biarne's  explan- 
ation, he  saw  through  the  jest  at  once. 

"  Well,  Biarne,"  returned  Olaf,  "  whether  the  dew 
was  sweet  to  my  father's  tongue  or  to  his  spirit  I 
cannot  tell,  but  I  remember  that  when  he  told  us 
about  the  sweet  dew,  he  said  it  was  near  to  the 
island  where  he  found  it  that  the  country  he  called 
Vinland  lay.  So,  if  this  be  the  sweet-dew  island, 
Yin  land  cannot  be  far  off." 

"  The  boy  is  sharp  beyond  his  years,"  said  Karlse- 
fin, stopping  abruptly  and  looking  at  Biarne ;  "  what 
thinkest  thou  of  that?" 


92  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"I  think,"  replied  the  other,  "that  Olaf  will  be 
a  great  discoverer  some  day,  for  it  seems  to  me  not 
unlikely  that  he  may  be  right." 

"  Come,  we  shall  soon  see,"  said  Karlsefin,  turning 
round  and  hastening  back  to  the  boat. 

Biarne  either  had  not  seen  this  particular  spot  on 
his  former  visit  to  these  shores,  which  is  quite  pro- 
bable, or  he  may  have  forgotten  it,  for  he  did  not 
recognise  it  as  he  had  done  the  first  land  they  made ; 
but  before  they  left  Ericsfiord,  Leif  had  given  them 
a  very  minute  and  careful  description  of  the  appear- 
ance of  the  coast  of  Vinland,  especially  of  that  part 
of  it  where  he  had  made  good  his  landing  and  set 
up  his  booths,  so  that  the  explorers  might  be  in  a 
position  to  judge  correctly  when  they  should  ap- 
proach it.  Nevertheless,  as  every  one  knows,  regions, 
even  when  well  defined,  may  wear  very  different 
aspects  when  seen  by  different  people,  for  the  first 
time,  from  different  points  of  view.  So  it  was  on 
this  occasion.  The  voyagers  had  hit  the  island  a 
short  distance  further  south  than  the  spot  where 
Leif  came  upon  it,  and  did  not  recognise  it  in  the 
least.  Indeed  they  had  begun  to  doubt  whether 
it  really  was  an  island  at  all.  But  now  that  Olaf 
had  awakened  their  suspicions,  they  hastened  eagerly 
on  board  the  "  Snake,"  and  sailed  round  the  coast 
until  they  came  into  a  sound  which  lav  between  the 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  93 

island  and  a  cape  that  jutted  out  northward  from 
the  land. 

"  'Tis  Vinland  !"  cried  Biarne  in  an  excited  tone. 

"  Don't  be  too  sure  of  that,"  said  Thorward,  as  a 
sudden  burst  of  sunshine  lit  up  land  and  sea. 

"  I  cannot  be  too  sure,"  cried  Biarne,  pointing  to 
the  land.  "  See,  there  is  the  ness  that  Leif  spoke 
of  going  out  northwards  from  the  land ;  there  is 
the  island;  here,  between  it  and  the  ness,  is  the 
sound,  and  yonder,  doubtless,  is  the  mouth  of  the 
river  which  comes  out  of  the  lake  where  the  son  of 
Eric  built  his  booths.  Ho  !  Yinland  !  hurrah !"  he 
shouted,  enthusiastically  waving  his  cap  above  his 
head. 

The  men  were  not  slow  to  echo  his  cheer,  and 
they  gave  it  forth  not  a  whit  less  heartily. 

"Tis  a  noble  land  to  look  upon,"  said  Gudrid, 
who  with  the  other  females  of  the  party  had  been 
for  some  time  gazing  silently  and  wistfully  to- 
wards it. 

"Perchance  it  may  be  a  great  land  some  day," 
observed  Karlsefin. 

"Who  knows?"  murmured  Thorward  in  a  con- 
templative tone. 

"  Ay,  who  knows  ?"  echoed  Biarne ;  "  time  and 
luck  can  work  wonders." 

"  God's  blessing  can  work  wonders,"  said  Karlse- 


94  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST. 

fin,  impressively  ;  "  may  He  grant  it  to  us  while  we 
sojourn  here !  * 

With  that  he  gave  orders  to  prepare  to  let  go  the 
anchor,  but  the  sound,  over  which  they  were  gliding 
slowly  before  a  light  wind,  was  very  shallow,  and  he 
had  scarcely  ceased  speaking  when  the  ship  struck 
with  considerable  violence,  and  remained  fast  upon 
the  sand. 


CHAPTEE  VIIL 

A  CHAPTER  OF  INCIDENTS  AND  EXPLORATION,  IN  WHICH  A  BEAR  AND 
A  WHALE  PLAY  PROMINENT  PARTS. 

ALTHOUGH  arrested  thus  suddenly  and  unex- 
pectedly in  their  progress  toward  the  shore,  these 
resolute  Norsemen  were  not  to  be  balked  in  their  in- 
tention of  reaching  the  land  that  forenoon — for  it  was 
morning  when  the  vessel  stuck  fast  on  the  shallows. 

The  tide  was  ebbing  at  the  time,  so  that  Karlse- 
fin  knew  it  would  be  impossible  to  get  the  ship  off 
again  until  the  next  flood-tide.  He  therefore  waited 
till  the  water  was  low  enough,  and  then  waded  to 
the  land  accompanied  by  a  large  band  of  men.  We 
need  scarcely  say  that  they  were  well  armed.  In 
those  days  men  never  went  abroad  either  by  land  or 
sea  without  their  armour,  which  consisted  of  swords, 
axes,  spears  and  bows  for  offence,  with  helmets  and 
shields  for  defence.  Some  of  the  men  of  wealth  and 
position  also  wore  defensive  armour  on  their  breasts, 
thighs,  and  shins,  but  most  of  the  fighting  men  were 
content  to  trust  to  the  partial  protection  afforded  by 
tunics  of  thick  skin. 


96  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

They  were  not  long  of  reaching  the  mouth  of  the 
river  which  Biarne  had  pointed  out,  and,  after  pro- 
ceeding up  its  banks  for  a  short  distance,  were  con- 
vinced that  this  must  be  the  very  spot  they  were  in 
search  of. 

"  Now,  Biarne,"  said  Karlsefin,  stopping  and  sit- 
ting down  on  a  large  stone,  "  I  have  no  doubt  that 
this  is  Leif's  river,  for  it  is  broad  and  deep  as  he 
told  us,  therefore  we  will  take  our  ship  up  here. 
Nevertheless,  before  doing  so,  it  would  be  a  satis- 
faction to  make  positively  certain  that  we  are  in  the 
right  way,  and  this  we  may  do  by  sending  one  or 
two  of  our  men  up  into  the  land,  who,  by  following 
the  river,  will  come  to  the  lake  where  Leif  built  his 
booths,  and  so  bring  us  back  the  news  of  them. 
Meanwhile  we  can  explore  the  country  here  till  they 
return." 

Biarne  and  Thorward  thought  this  advice  good, 
and  both  offered  to  lead  the  party  to  be  sent  there. 

"For,"  said  Thorward,  "they  may  meet  with 
natives,  and  if  the  natives  here  bear  any  resemblance 
to  the  Skraelingers,  methinks  they  won't  receive  us 
with  much  civility." 

"  I  have  thought  of  that,"  returned  Karlsefin  with 
a  smile,  "  but  I  like  not  your  proposal.  What  good 
would  it  do  that  either  you  or  Biarne  should  lead 
so  small  a  party  if  ye  were  assaulted  by  a  hundred 
or  more  savages,  as  might  well  be  the  case  ?" 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  97 

"  Why,  we  could  at  all  events  retreat  fighting," 
retorted  Thorward  in  a  slightly  offended  tone. 

"With  fifty,  perhaps,  in  front,  to  keep  you  in 
play,  and  fifty  detached  to  tickle  you  in  rear." 

Thorward  laughed  at  this,  and  so  did  Biarne. 
"Well,  if  the  worst  came  to  the  worst,"  said  the 
latter,  "  we  could  at  any  rate  sell  our  lives  dearly." 

"And,  pray,  what  good  would  that  do  to  us?' 
demanded  Karlsefm. 

"Well,  well,  have  it  your  own  way,  skipper," 
said  Biarne ;  "  it  seems  to  me,  nevertheless,  that  if 
we  were  to  advance  with  the  whole  of  the  men 
we  have  brought  on  shore  with  us,  we  should  be 
in  the  same  predicament,  for  twenty  men  could  not 
easily  save  themselves  from  a  hundred — or,  as  it 
might  be,  a  thousand — if  surrounded  in  the  way 
you  speak  of." 

"  Besides  that,"  added  Thorward,  "  it  seems  to  me 
a  mean  thing  to  send  out  only  one  or  two  of  our  men 
without  a  leader  to  cope  with  such  possible  dangers, 
unless  indeed  they  were  possessed  of  more  than 
mortal  powers." 

"  Why,  what  has  become  of  your  memories,  my 
friends?"  exclaimed  Karlsefin.  "Are  there  none  of 
our  men  possessed  of  powers  that  are,  at  all  events, 
more  than  those  of  ordinary  mortals  V 

"  0 — ho  I  Hake  and  Heika  1  I  forgot  them,"  cried 
Biarne ;  "  the  very  men  for  the  work,  to  be  sure  1'* 

G 


98  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"No  doubt  of  it,"  said  Karlsefin.  "  If  they  meet 
with  natives  who  are  friendly,  well  and  good ;  if  they 
meet  with  no  natives  at  all, — better.  If  they  meet 
with  unfriendly  natives,  they  can  show  them  their 
heels ;  and  I  warrant  you  that,  unless  the  natives 
here  be  different  from  most  other  men,  the  best 
pair  of  savage  legs  in  Vinland  will  fail  to  overtake 
the  Scottish  brothers." 

Thorward  agreed  that  this  was  a  good  plan,  but 
cautioned  Karlsefin  to  give  the  brothers  strict  in- 
junctions to  fly,  and  not  upon  any  account  to  fight ; 
"  for,"  said  he,  "  these  doughty  Scots  are  fiery  and 
fierce  when  roused,  and  from  what  I  have  seen  of 
them  will,  I  think,  be  much  more  disposed  to  use 
their  legs  in  running  after  their  foes  than  in  running 
away  from  them." 

This  having  been  settled,  the  brothers  were  called, 
and  instructed  to  proceed  into  the  woods  and  up  the 
bank  of  the  river  as  quickly  as  possible,  until  they 
should  come  to  a  lake  on  the  margin  of  which  they 
would  probably  see  a  few  small  huts.  On  discover- 
ing these  they  were  to  turn  immediately  and  hasten 
back.  They  were  also  particularly  cautioned  as  to 
their  behaviour  in  the  event  of  meeting  with  natives, 
and  strictly  forbidden  to  fight,  if  these  should  be 
evil  disposed,  but  to  run  back  at  full  speed  to  warn 
their  friends,  so  that  they  might  be  prepared  for  any 
emergency. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  99 

"  Nevertheless,"  said  Karlsefin,  in  conclusion,  "  ye 
may  carry  weapons  with  you  if  ye  will." 

"  Thanks,"  replied  Heika.  "  As,  however,  you 
appear  to  doubt  our  powers  of  self-restraint,  we 
will  relieve  your  mind  by  going  without  them." 

Thus  instructed  and  warned,  the  brothers  tight- 
ened their  belts,  and,  leaping  nimbly  into  the  neigh- 
bouring brake,  disappeared  from  view. 

"  A  pair  of  proper  men,"  said  Karlsefin. — "  And 
now,  comrades,  we  will  explore  the  neighbourhood 
together,  for  it  is  advisable  to  ascertain  all  we  can  of 
the  nature  of  our  new  country,  and  that  as  quickly 
as  may  be.  It  is  needful,  also,  to  do  so  without 
scattering,  lest  we  be  set  upon  unexpectedly  by  any 
lurking  foe.  This  land  is  not  easily  surveyed  like 
Iceland  or  Greenland,  being,  as  you  see,  covered  with 
shrubs  and  trees,  which  somewhat  curtail  our  vision, 
and  render  caution  the  more  necessary." 

While  the  Norsemen  were  engaged  in  examining 
the  woods  near  the  coast,  the  two  Scots  held  on  their 
way  into  the  interior.  There  was  something  abso- 
lutely exhilarating,  as  Krake  once  remarked,  in 
the  mere  beholding  of  these  brothers'  movements. 
They  had  been  famed  for  agility  and  endurance  even 
in  their  own  country.  They  did  not  run,  but  trotted 
lightly,  and  appeared  to  be  going  at  a  moderate  pace, 
when  in  reality  it  would  have  compelled  an  ordinary 
runner  to  do  his  best  to  keep  up  with  them.  Yet 


100  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

they  did  not  pant  or  show  any  other  symptom  of 
distress.  On  the  contrary,  they  conversed  occasion- 
ally in  quiet  tones,  as  men  do  when  walking.  They 
ran  abreast  as  often  as  the  nature  of  the  ground 
would  allow  them  to  do  so,  taking  their  leaps  to- 
gether when  they  came  to  small  obstructions,  such 
as  fallen  trees  or  brooks  of  a  few  feet  wide ;  but 
when  they  came  to  creeks  of  considerable  width,  the 
one  usually  paused  to  see  the  other  spring  over,  and 
then  followed  him. 

Just  after  having  taken  a  leap  of  this  kind,  and 
while  they  were  running  silently  side  by  side  along 
the  margin  of  the  river,  they  heard  a  crash  among 
the  bushes,  and  next  instant  a  fine  deer  sprang  into 
an  open  space  in  front  of  them.  The  brothers  bent 
forward,  and,  flying  like  the  wind,  or  like  arrows 
from  a  bow,  followed  for  a  hundred  yards  or  so — 
then  stopped  abruptly  and  burst  into  a  hearty  fit  of 
laughter. 

"  Ah  !  Heika,"  exclaimed  the  younger,  "  that  fel- 
low would  be  more  than  a  match  for  us  if  we  could 
double  our  speed.  We  have  no  chance  with  four- 
legged  runners." 

While  he  was  speaking  they  resumed  the  jog-trot 
pace,  and  soon  afterwards  came  to  a  rocky  ridge  that 
seemed  to  traverse  the  country  for  some  distance. 
Here  they  were  compelled  to  walk,  and  in  some  places 
even  to  clamber,  the  ground  being  very  rugged. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  101 

Here  also  they  came  to  a  small  branch  or  fork  of 
the  river  that  appeared  to  find  its  way  to  the  sea 
through  another  channel.  It  was  deep,  and  although 
narrow  in  comparison  with  the  parent  stream,  was 
much  too  broad  to  be  leaped  over.  The  pioneers 
were  therefore  obliged  to  swim.  Being  almost  as 
much  at  home  in  the  water  as  otters,  they,  plunged 
in,  clothes  and  all,  without  halting,  and  in  a  few 
seconds  had  gained  the  other  side. 

When  they  reached  the  top  of  the  ridge  they 
stopped  and  gazed  in  silent  admiration,  for  there  lay 
stretched  out  before  them  a  vast  woodland  scene  of 
most  exquisite  beauty.  Just  at  their  feet  was  the 
lake  of  which  they  were  in  search ;  some  parts  of  it 
bright  as  the  blue  sky  which  its  unruffled  breast 
reflected  ;  other  parts  dark  almost  to  blackness  with 
the  images  of  rocks  and  trees.  Everywhere  around 
lay  a  primeval  wilderness  of  wood  and  water  which 
it  is  beyond  the  power  of  mortal  pen  adequately 
to  describe ;  and  while  all  was  suffused  with  the 
golden  light  of  an  early  summer  sun,  and  steeped 
in  the  repose  of  an  absolutely  calm  day,  the  soft  and 
plaintive  cries  of  innumerable  wild-fowl  enlivened, 
without  disturbing,  the  profound  tranquillity  of  the 
scene. 

"Does  it  not  remind  you  of  our  own  dear  land  ?" 
said  Heika  in  a  low  soft  voice. 

"Ay,  like  the  lowlands  on  the  shores  of  the  Forth 


102        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

fiord/'  replied  Hake,  in  the  same  low  tone,  as  if  lie 
feared  to  break  the  pleasing  stillness ;  "  and  them 
surely,  are  the  booths  we  were  to  search  for — see, 
in  the  hollow,  at  the  head  of  yonder  bay,  with  the 
gravelly  beach  and  the  birch-trees  hanging  from  the 
rocks  as  if  they  wished  to  view  themselves  in  the 
watery  mirror." 

"  True — there  are  three  of  them  visible.  Let  us 
descend  and  examine." 

"  Hist !  Some  one  appears  to  have  got  there  be- 
fore us,"  said  Hake,  laying  his  hand  on  his  brother's 
shoulder  and  pointing  in  the  direction  of  the  huts. 

"  It  is  not  a  human  visitor,  methinks,"  observed 
Heika. 

"  More  like  a  bear,"  returned  Hake. 

In  order  to  set  the  question  at  rest  the  brothers 
hastened  round  by  the  woods  to  a  spot  immediately 
behind  the  huts.  There  was  a  hill  there  so  steep 
as  to  be  almost  a  precipice.  It  overlooked  the 
shores  of  the  lake  immediately  below  where  the 
huts  were,  and  when  the  pioneers  came  to  the  crest 
of  it  and  peeped  cautiously  over,  they  beheld  a  large 
brown  bear  not  far  from  the  hut  that  stood  nearest 
to  the  hill,  busily  engaged  in  devouring  some- 
thing. 

"  Now  it  is  a  pity,"  whispered  Heika,  "  that  we 
brought  no  arms  with  us.  Truly,  little  cause  have 
we  men  to  be  proud  of  our  strength,  for  yonder 


OK  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  103 

beast  could  match  fifty  of  us  if  we  had  nothing  to 
depend  on  save  our  fists  and  feet  and  fingers." 

"  Why  not  include  the  teeth  in  your  list,  brother  ?" 
asked  Hake,  with  a  quiet  laugh ;  "  but  it  is  a  pity, 
as  you  say.  What  shall — " 

He  stopped  abruptly,  for  a  large  boulder,  or  mass 
of  rock,  against  which  he  leaned,  gave  way  under 
him,  made  a  sudden  lurch  forward  and  then  stuck  fast. 

"  Ha !  a  dangerous  support,"  said  Hake,  starting 
back ;  "  but,  hist !  suppose  we  shove  it  down  on 
the  bear  ? " 

"A  good  thought,"  replied  Heika,  "if  we  can 
move  the  mass,  which  seems  doubtful ;  but  let  us  try. 
Something  may  be  gained  by  trying — nothing  lost." 

The  boulder,  which  had  been  so  balanced  on  the 
edge  of  the  steep  hill  that  a  gentle  pressure  moved 
it,  was  a  mass  of  rock  weighing  several  tons,  the 
moving  of  which  would  have  been  a  hopeless  task 
for  twenty  men  to  attempt,  but  it  stood  balanced  on 
the  extreme  edge  of  the  turn  of  the  hill,  and  the 
little  slip  it  had  just  made  rendered  its  position  still 
more  critical;  so  that,  when  the  young  men  lay 
down  with  their  backs  against  a  rock,  placed  their 
feet  upon  it  and  pushed  with  all  their  might,  it 
slowly  yielded,  toppled  over,  and  rolled  with  a 
tremendous  surge  through  a  copse  which  lay  im- 
mediately below  it. 

The  brothers  leaped  up  and  gazed  in  breathless 


104  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

eagerness  to  observe  the  result.  The  bear,  hearing 
the  crash,  looked  up  with  as  much  surprise  as  the 
visage  of  that  stupid  creature  is  capable  of  express- 
ing. The  thing  was  so  suddenly  done  that  the  bear 
seemed  to  have  no  time  to  form  an  opinion  or  get 
alarmed,  for  it  stood  perfectly  still,  while  the 
boulder,  bounding  from  the  copse,  went  crashing 
down  the  hill,  cutting  a  clear  path  wherever  it 
touched,  attaining  terrific  velocity,  and  drawing  an 
immense  amount  of  debris  after  it.  The  direction 
it  took  happened  to  be  not  quite  straight  for  the 
animal,  whose  snout  it  passed  within  six  or  eight 
feet — causing  him  to  shrink  back  and  growl — as  it 
rushed  smoking  onward  over  the  level  bit  of  sward 
beneath,  through  the  mass  of  willows  beyond, 
across  the  gravelly  strand  and  out  to  the  lake,  into 
which  it  plunged  and  disappeared  amid  a  magnifi- 
cent spout  of  foam.  But  the  avalanche  of  earth 
and  stones  which  its  mad  descent  had  created  did 
not  let  Bruin  off  so  easily.  One  after  another 
these  latter,  small  and  large,  went  pattering  and 
dashing  against  him, — some  on  his  flank,  some  on  his 
ribs,  and  others  on  his  head.  He  growled  of  course, 
yet  stood  the  fire  nobly  for  a  few  seconds,  but  when, 
at  last,  a  large  boulder  hit  him  fairly  on  the  nose, 
he  gave  vent  to  a  squeal  which  terminated  in  a 
passionate  roar  as  he  turned  about  and  made  for  the 
open  shore,  along  which  for  some  distance  he  ran 


A  NATIVE  OF  THE  LAND  DISCOVERED. -PAGE  104. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  105 

with  the  agility  of  a  monstrous  wild- cat,  and  finally 
leaped  out  of  sight  into  his  forest  home  ! 

The  brothers  looked  at  each  other  with  sparkling 
eyes,  and  next  moment  the  woods  resounded  with 
their  merriment,  as  they  held  their  sides  and  leaned 
for  support  against  a  neighbouring  cliff. 

Heika  was  first  to  recover  himself. 

"  Hold,  brother,"  he  exclaimed,  "  we  laugh  loud 
enough  to  let  Bruin  know  who  it  was  that  injured 
him,  or  to  bring  all  the  savages  in  these  woods  down 
upon  us.  Peace,  man,  peace,  and  let  us  return  to 
our  friends." 

"  As  soon  as  ye  please,  brother,"  said  Hake,  still 
laughing  as  he  tightened  his  belt,  "  but  was  it  not 
rare  fun  to  see  Bruin  stand  that  stony  rain  so  man- 
fully until  his  tender  point  was  touched  ?  And  then 
how  he  ran!  Twas  worth  coming  here  to  see  a 
bear  leave  off  his  rolling  gait  so  and  run  like  a  very 
wild-cat. — Now  I'm  ready." 

Without  staying  to  make  further  examination  of 
Leif  s  old  huts — for  from  the  place  where  they  stood 
all  the  six  of  them  could  be  clearly  seen — the  young 
pioneers  started  on  their  return  to  the  coast.  They 
ran  back  with  much  greater  speed  than  they  had 
pushed  forward — fearing  that  their  companions 
might  be  getting  impatient  or  alarmed  about  them. 
They  did  not  even  converse,  but  with  heads  up, 
chests  forward,  and  elbows  bent,  addressed  them- 


106  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

selves  to  a  quick  steady  run,  which  soon  brought 
them  to  the  branch  of  the  river  previously  men- 
tioned. Here  they  stopped  for  a  moment  before 
plunging  in. 

"  Suppose  that  we  run  down  its  bank,"  suggested 
Hake,  "and  see  whether  there  be  not  a  shallow 
crossing." 

"  Surely  ye  have  not  grown  afraid  of  water,  Hake?" 

"  No,  not  I,  but  I  should  like  to  see  whither  this 
branch  trends,  and  what  it  is  like;  besides,  the 
divergence  will  not  cost  us  much  time,  as  we  can 
cross  at  any  point  we  have  a  mind  to,  and  come  at 
the  main  river  again  through  the  woods." 

"  Well,  I  will  not  balk  you — come  on." 

They  accordingly  descended  the  smaller  stream, 
and  found  it  to  be  broken  by  various  little  cascades 
and  rapids,  with  here  and  there  a  longish  reach  of 
pebbly  ground  where  the  stream  widened  into  a 
shallow  rippling  river  with  one  or  two  small  islands 
in  it.  At  one  of  these  places  they  crossed  where  it 
was  only  knee-deep  in  the  centre,  and  finally  stopped 
at  the  end  of  a  reach,  where  a  sudden  narrowing  of 
the  banks  produced  a  brawling  rapid.  Below  this 
there  was  a  deep  pool  caused  by  a  great  eddy. 

"  Now,  we  go  no  further,"  said  Heika.  "  Here  we 
shall  cross  through  the  woods  to  the  main  branch." 

"  'Tis  a  pretty  stream,"  observed  Hake  when  they 
were  about  to  leave  it. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  107 

As  he  spoke  a  large  salmon  leaped  high  out  of 
the  pool  below,  flashed  for  one  moment  in  the  sun- 
shine like  a  bar  of  living  silver,  and  fell  back  into 
the  water  with  a  sounding  splash.  Hake  caught 
his  breath  and  opened  wide  his  eyes ! 

"Truly  that  is  a  good  sight  to  the  eyes  of  a 
Scotsman,"  said  Heika,  gazing  with  interest  at  the 
place  where  the  fish  had  disappeared ;  "  it  reminds 
me  of  my  native  land." 

"Ay,  and  me  of  my  dinner,"  observed  Hake, 
smacking  his  lips. 

"  Out  upon  thee,  man ! "  cried  Heika,  "  how  can  ye 
couple  our  native  land  with  such  a  matter-o'-fact 
thought  as  dinner  ? " 

"  Why,  it  would  be  hard  to  uncouple  the  thought 
of  dinner  from  our  native  land,"  returned  Hake, 
with  a  laugh,  as  they  entered  the  forest ;  "  for  every 
man — not  to  mention  woman — within  its  circling 
coast- line  is  a  diner,  and  so  by  hook  or  crook  must 
daily  have  his  dinner. — But  say,  brother,  is  it  not 
matter  of  satisfaction,  as  well  as  matter  of  fact,  that 
the  waters  of  this  Vinland  shall  provide  us  with 
abundance  of  food  not  less  surely  than  the  land  ? 
If  things  go  on  as  they  have  begun  I  shall  be  well 
content  to  stay  here." 

"Ye  do  not  deserve  the  name  of  Scot,  Hake," 
said  the  other  gravely.  "  My  heart  is  in  Scotland ; 
it  is  not  here." 


108        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"  True,  I  know  it,"  replied  Hake,  with  a  touch  of 
feeling ;  "  in  a  double  sense,  too,  for  your  betrothed 
is  there.  Nevertheless,  as  /  did  not  leave  my  heart 
behind  me,  surely  there  is  no  sin  in  taking  some 
pleasure  in  this  new  land.  But  heed  not  my  idle 
talk,  brother.  You  and  I  shall  yet  live  to  see  the 
bonny  hills  of — .  Ha !  here  we  are  on  the  big 
stream  once  more,  sooner  than  I  had  expected,  and, 
if  I  mistake  not,  within  hail  of  our  comrades." 

Hake  was  right.  The  moment  they  emerged  from 
the  woods  upon  the  open  bank  of  the  large  river 
they  saw  a  party  of  men  in  the  distance  approach- 
ing them,  and,  an  instant  later,  a  loud  halloo  assured 
them  that  these  were  their  friends. 

When  the  pioneers  had  related  all  that  they  had 
seen  and  done,  the  whole  party  returned  to  the 
shore  and  hailed  the  ship,  for,  the  tide  having  risen, 
they  could  not  now  reach  it  by  wading.  A  boat 
was  immediately  sent  for  them,  and  great  was  the 
interest  manifested  by  all  on  board  to  learn  the 
news  of  Yinland.  They  had  time  to  give  an  account 
of  all  that  had  been  done  and  seen,  because  it  still 
wanted  an  hour  of  flood-tide,  and  the  ship  still  lay 
immoveable. 

While  they  were  thus  engaged,  Gudrid  happened 
to  cast  her  eyes  over  the  stern  of  the  ship,  and 
thought  she  saw  an  object  moving  in  the  water. 

"  What  is  that  I  see  ?"  she  said,  pointing  towards  it. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  109 

"  The  great  sea-serpent !"  exclaimed  Biarne,  shad- 
ing his  eyes  with  his  hand. 

"  Or  his  ghost,"  remarked  Krake. 

From  which  observations,  coupled  together,  it 
would  appear  that  the  famous  monster  referred  to 
was  known  by  repute  to  the  Norsemen  of  the  ele- 
venth century,  though  he  was  to  some  extent  re- 
garded as  a  myth ! 

Be  this  as  it  may,  the  object  which  now  attracted 
the  attention  and  raised  the  eyebrows  of  all  on  board 
the  "  Snake  "  evidently  possessed  life,  for  it  was  very 
active — wildly  so — besides  being  large.  It  darted 
hither  and  thither,  apparently  without  aim,  sending 
the  water  in  curling  foam  before  it.  Suddenly  it 
made  straight  for  the  ship,  then  it  turned  at  a  tan- 
gent and  made  for  the  island ;  anon  it  wheeled  round, 
and  rushed,  like  a  mad  creature,  to  the  shore. 

Then  arose  a  deafening  shout  from  the  men — 

"A  whale  !  an  embayed  whale  !" 

And  so  in  fact  it  was;  a  large  whale,  which,  as 
whales  will  sometimes  do — blind  ones,  perhaps — 
had  lost  its  way,  got  entangled  among  the  sandbanks 
lying  between  the  island  and  the  shore,  and  was  now 
making  frantic  efforts  to  escape. 

Need  we  say  that  a  scene  of  the  wildest  excite- 
ment ensued  among  the  men !  The  two  boats — 
one  of  which  was,  as  we  have  said,  a  large  one — were 
got  ready,  barbed  spears  and  lances  and  ropes  were 


110  THE  NOKSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

thrown  into  them,  as  many  men  as  they  could  hold 
with  safety  jumped  in,  and  pulled  away,  might  and 
main,  after  the  terrified  whale. 

You  may  be  sure,  reader,  that  little  Olaf  was  there, 
fast  by  the  side  of  his  friend  and  hero  Karlsefin, 
who  took  charge  of  the  large  boat,  with  Thorward  in 
the  bow  to  direct  him  how  to  steer.  Biarne  was 
there  too  as  a  matter  of  course,  in  charge  of  the  little 
boat,  with  Krake  as  his  bowman  and  Tyrker  pulling 
the  stroke-oar.  For  Tyrker  was  strong,  though 
little,  ugly,  and  old,  and  had  a  peculiar  talent  for 
getting  involved  in  any  fighting,  fun,  or  mischief 
that  chanced  to  be  in  hand.  Men  said  that  he  was 
afraid  of  dying  in  his  bed,  and  had  made  up  his 
mind  to  rush  continually  into  the  jaws  of  danger 
until  they  should  close  upon  and  crush  him;  but 
we  are  of  opinion  that  this  was  a  calumny.  Those 
of  the  men  who  were  necessarily  left  in  the  ship 
could  scarce  be  prevented  from  swimming  after 
the  boats  as  they  shot  away,  and  nothing  but  the 
certainty  of  being  drowned  restrained  them  from 
making  the  mad  attempt.  As  it  was,  they  clambered 
upon  the  figure-head  and  up  the  rigging,  where,  with 
gaping  mouths  and  staring  eyes,  they  watched  the 
movements  of  their  more  fortunate  companions. 

Meanwhile  the  whale  had  made  what  appeared  to 
be  a  grand  and  final  neck-or-nothing  rush  in  the 
direction  of  the  shore.  Of  course  he  was  high, 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  Ill 

although  not  dry,  in  a  few  seconds.  That  is  to  say, 
he  got  into  water  so  shallow  that  he  stuck  fast,  with 
his  great  head  and  shoulders  raised  considerably  out 
of  the  sea,  in  which  position  he  began  to  roll,  heave, 
spout,  and  lash  his  mighty  tail  with  a  degree  of  vio- 
lence that  almost  approached  sublimity. 

He  was  in  these  circumstances  when  the  Norse- 
men came  up  ;  for  though  too  shallow  for  the  whale, 
the  water  was  quite  deep  enough  for  the  boats. 

Being  light,  the  small  boat  reached  the  scene  of 
action  first.  Krake  stood  up  in  the  bow  to  be  ready. 
He  held  in  his  hand  a  curious  wooden  spear  with  a 
loose  barb  tipped  with  the  tusk  of  a  walrus.  It  had 
been  procured  from  one  of  the  Greenland  Skraelin- 
gers.  A  rope  was  attached  to  it. 

As  they  drew  near,  the  whale  stopped  for  an  in- 
stant, probably  to  recover  breath.  Krake  raised 
his  spear — the  fish  raised  his  tail.  Whizz  !  went 
the  spear.  Down  came  the  tail  with  a  thunder- 
clap, and  next  moment  mud,  sand,  water,  stones, 
foam,  and  blood,  were  flying  in  cataracts  everywhere 
as  the  monster  renewed  its  struggles. 

"  Back !  back  oars  !"  shouted  Biarne,  as  they  were 
almost  swamped  by  the  flood. 

The  men  obeyed  with  such  good-will  that  Krake 
was  thrown  head-foremost  over  the  bow. 

"  Hold  fast !"  yelled  Krake  on  coming  to  the 
surface. 


112        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"  If  ye  had  held  fast  ye  wouldn't  have  been  there," 
said  Biarne  ;  "where  are  ye  ?" 

He  rose  again  out  of  the  foam,  yelled,  and  tossed 
up  his  arms. 

"  Can  the  man  not  swim  ?"  cried  Biarne,  in  alarm ; 
"  pull,  boys,  pull !" 

The  men  were  already  pulling  with  such  force 
that  they  almost  went  over  the  man.  As  they 
rubbed  past  him  Hake  dropped  his  oar  and  caught 
him  by  the  hair,  Biarne  leaned  over  the  side  and 
got  him  by  the  breeches,  and  with  a  vigorous  heave 
they  had  him  inboard. 

"  Why,  Krake,  I  thought  you  could  swim ! "  said 
Biarne. 

"  Ay,  so  I  can,  but  who  could  swim  with  a  coil 
of  rope  round  his  neck  and  legs  ? " 

The  poor  man  had  indeed  been  entangled  in  the 
rope  of  the  spear,  so  that  he  could  not  use  his  limbs 
freely. 

No  more  was  said,  however,  for  they  were  still  in 
dangerous  proximity  to  the  tail  of  the  struggling 
fish,  and  had  to  pull  out  of  its  way. 

Meanwhile  the  large  boat,  profiting  by  the  ex- 
perience of  the  small  one,  had  kept  more  towards 
the  whale's  head,  and,  before  Krake  had  been 
rescued,  Thorward  sent  a  Skraelinger  spear  deep 
into  its  shoulder.  But  this  only  acted  as  a  spur  to 
the  huge  creature,  and  made  it  heave  about  with 


OK  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  113 

such  violence  that  it  managed  to  slew  right  round 
with  its  head  off  shore. 

At  this  the  men  could  not  restrain  a  shout  of 
alarm,  for  they  knew  that  if  the  whale  were  to  suc- 
ceed in  struggling  again  into  water  where  it  could 
swim,  it  would  carry  away  spears  and  ropes  ;  or,  in 
the  event  of  these  holding  on,  would  infallibly 
capsize  and  sink  the  boats. 

"  Come,  drive  in  your  spears !"  shouted  Karlsefm 
in  a  voice  of  thunder,  for  his  usually  quiet  spirit  was 
now  deeply  stirred. 

Thorward  and  one  of  the  men  threw  their  spears, 
but  the  latter  missed  and  the  former  struck  his 
weapon  into  a  part  that  was  too  thick  to  do  much 
injury,  though  it  was  delivered  with  great  force  and 
went  deep. 

"  This  will  never  do  ! "  cried  Karlsefm,  leaping  up ; 
"  here,  Swend,  take  the  helm.  Ho !  hand  me  that 
spear,  quick !  Now,  lads,  pull,  pull,  with  heart 
and  limb ! " 

As  he  spoke  he  sprang  like  a  roused  giant  into 
the  bow  of  the  boat  and  caught  up  a  spear.  The 
men  obeyed  his  orders.  The  boat  rushed  against 
the  whale's  side,  and,  with  its  impetus  added  to  his 
own  Herculean  strength,  Karlsefm  thrust  the  spear 
deep  down  into  the  monster's  body  just  behind  the 
shoulder  fin. 

The  crimson  stream  that  immediately  gushed 
II 


114  THE  NOKSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST. 

forth  besprinkled  all  in  the  boat  and  dyed  the  sea 
around. 

"That  is  his  life-blood,"  said  Karlsefin,  with  a 
grim  smile ;  "  you  may  back  off  now,  lads." 

This  was  done  at  once.  The  small  boat  was  also 
ordered  to  back  off,  and  those  in  it  obeyed  not  a 
moment  too  soon,  for  immediately  after  receiving 
the  deadly  wound  the  whale  went  into  a  violent 
dying  struggle.  It  soon  subsided.  There  were  one 
or  two  mighty  heavings  of  the  shoulder;  then  a 
shudder  ran  through  the  huge  carcase,  and  it  rolled 
slowly  over  in  a  relaxed  manner  which  told  signifi- 
cantly that  the  great  mysterious  life  had  fled. 


CHAPTEE  IX. 

THE  FIRST  NIGHT  IN  VINLAND. 

THE  prize  which  had  thus  fallen  into  the  hands 
of  the  Norsemen  was  of  great  importance,  because 
it  furnished  a  large  supply  of  food,  which  thus  en- 
abled them  to  go  leisurely  to  work  in  establishing 
themselves,  instead  of,  as  would  otherwise  have 
been  the  case,  spending  much  of  their  time  and 
energy  in  procuring  that  necessity  of  life  by  hunting 
and  fishing. 

It  was  also  exceedingly  fortunate  that  the  whale 
had  been  killed  a  little  before  the  time  of  high 
water,  because  that  enabled  them  to  fasten  ropes 
through  its  nose  and  row  with  it  still  farther  in  to 
the  shore.  This  accomplished,  the  boats  made 
several  trips  back  to  the  ship  and  landed  all  the 
men,  and  these,  with  a  number  of  ropes,  hauled  up 
the  carcase  foot  by  foot  as  the  tide  rose.  After 
reaching  a  certain  point  at  high  water  they  could  get 
it  up  no  farther,  and  when  the  tide  turned  all  the 


lib 


116        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

men  twice  doubled  could  not  have  budged  it  an 
inch.  The  ropes  were  therefore  tied  together  and 
lengthened  until  they  reached  a  strong  tree  near  the 
beach,  to  which  they  were  fastened. 

Leaving  their  prize  thus  secured  they  hastened 
back  to  the  ship,  hauled  up  the  anchor,  and  made 
for  the  mouth  of  the  river,  but  they  had  lost  so 
much  of  the  flood  tide,  in  consequence  of  their  battle 
with  the  whale,  and  the  evening  was  so  far  ad- 
vanced, that  they  resolved  to  delay  further  proceed- 
ings until  the  following  day. 

The  ship  was  therefore  hauled  close  in  to  the  land 
at  the  river's  mouth  and  allowed  to  take  the  ground 
on  a  spit  of  sand.  Here  the  men  landed  and  soon 
built  up  a  pile  of  stones,  between  which  and  the 
ship  a  gangway  was  made.  The  women  were  thus 
enabled  to  walk  comfortably  ashore.  And  here,  on 
a  grassy  spot,  they  pitched  their  tents  for  the  first 
time  in  Vinland. 

Provisions  were  now  brought  on  shore  and  large 
fires  were  kindled  which  blazed  up  and  glared 
magnificently  as  the  night  drew  on,  rendering  the 
spit  of  sand  with  the  grassy  knoll  in  the  centre  of 
it  quite  a  cheerful  and  ruddy  spot.  A  few  trees 
were  cut  down  and  stretched  across  the  spit  at  its 
neck  on  the  land  side,  and  there  several  sentinels 
were  placed  as  a  precaution — for  which  there  seemed 
little  occasion. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  '    117 

Karlsefin  then  set  up  a  pole  with  a  flag  on  it  and 
took  formal  possession  of  this  new  land,  after  which 
the  whole  colony  sat  down  on  the  grass — some 
under  the  tents,  others  under  the  starry  sky — to 
supper.  The  cattle,  it  may  here  be  noted,  were  not 
landed  at  this  place,  as  they  were  to  be  taken  up  the 
river  next  day,  but  their  spirits  were  refreshed  with 
a  good  supply  of  new-mown  grass,  so  that  it  is  to  be 
hoped,  and  presumed,  they  rejoiced  not  less  than  their 
human  companions  in  the  satisfactory  state  of  things. 

In  the  largest  tent,  Karlsefin,  Biarne,  Thorward, 
Gudrid,  Freydissa,  Astrid,  and  Olaf,  sat  down  to  a 
sumptuous  repast  of  dried  Greenland-fish  and  fresh 
Vinland- whale,  besides  which  they  had  soup  and 
beer.  Being  healthy  and  hungry,  they  did  full 
justice  to  the  good  things.  Bertha  and  Thora  served 
and  then  joined  in  the  repast. 

"  This  is  pleasant,  isn't  it,  Freydissa  ?"  asked 
Biarne,  with  his  mouth  full. 

Freydissa,  with  her  mouth  not  quite  so  full,  ad- 
mitted that  it  was,  for  she  happened  to  be  in  an 
amiable  humour — as  well  she  might ! 

"  Come,  let  us  pledge  the  new  land  in  a  can  of 
beer,"  cried  Biarne,  pouring  the  beverage  out  of  an 
earthenware  jar  into  a  squat  old  Norse  flagon  of 
embossed  silver.  "  Thorward,  fill  up !" 

"  I  will  join  you  heartily  in  that,"  cried  Thorward, 
suiting  the  action  to  the  word. 


118        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"  And  I,"  said  Karlsefin,  raising  an  empty  flagon 
to  his  lips,  "  will  pledge  it  in  a  wish.  I  wish — pros- 
perity to  Vinland !" 

"  Come,  Karlsefin,"  remonstrated  Biarne,  "  forego 
austerity  for  once,  and  drink." 

"  Not  I,"  returned  the  skipper,  with  a  laugh. 

"Wherefore  not?" 

"First,  because  a  wish  is  quite  as  potent  as  a 
drink  in  that  respect ;  second,  because  our  beer  is 
nearly  finished,  and  we  have  not  yet  the  means  to 
concoct  more,  so  that  it  were  ill-advised  to  rob  you, 
Biarne,  by  helping  to  consume  that  which  I  do  not 
like ;  and,  last  of  all,  I  think  it  a  happy  occasion 
this  in  which  to  forswear  beer  altogether  ! " 

"  Have  thy  way,"  said  Biarne,  helping  himself  to 
another  whale-steak  of  large  dimensions.  "  You  are 
too  good  a  fellow  to  quarrel  with  on  such  trifling 
ground.  Here,  pass  the  jar,  Thorward ;  I  will  drink 
his  portion  as  well  as  my  own." 

"  And  I  will  join  you  both,"  cried  little  Olaf  with 
a  comical  turn  of  his  eyebrows.  "  Here,  I  wish 
prosperity  to  Vinland,  and  drink  it,  too,  in — water." 

"  We  can  all  join  thee  in  that,  Olaf,"  said  Gudrid, 
with  an  approving  nod  and  laugh.  "  Come,  girls, 
fill  up  your  cups  and  pledge  to  Vinland." 

"  Stop  !"  shouted  Biarne  in  sudden  anxiety. 

They  all  paused  with  the  cups  half  way  to  their 
lips. 


OK  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  119 

"  You  must  not  drink,  Freydissa,"  he  continued 
seriously.  "  Gudrid  did  call  upon  the  girls  to  join 
her ;  surely  ye  don't — " 

He  was  cut  short  by  Freydissa  throwing  her  cup 
of  water  in  his  face. 

With  a  burst  of  laughter  Biarne  fell  backwards, 
and,  partly  to  avoid  the  deluge,  partly  for  fun,  rolled 
out  of  the  tent,  when  he  got  up  and  dried  his  drip- 
ping beard. 

"  No  more  of  that,  fair  girl,  I  beseech  thee,"  he 
said,  resuming  his  place  and  occupation.  "  I  will 
not  again  offend — if  thou  wilt  not  again  misunder- 
stand !" 

Freydissa  made  no  reply  to  this,  silence  being  her 
usual  method  of  showing  that  she  condescended  to 
be  in  good  humour — and  they  were  all  very  merry 
over  their  evening  meal.  From  the  noise  and 
laughter  and  songs  around  them,  it  was  evident 
that  the  rest  of  the  company  were  enjoying  their 
first  night  on  shore  to  the  full,  insomuch  that  Olaf 
was  led,  in  the  height  of  his  glee,  to  express  a  wish 
that  they  could  live  in  that  free-and-easy  fashion 
for  ever. 

"  'Tis  of  no  use  wishing  it,"  observed  Karlsefin ; 
"  if  you  would  insure  success  you  must,  according 
to  Biarne,  drink  it  in  beer." 

"  I  cry  you  mercy,  skipper,"  said  Biarne ;  "  if  you 
persecute  me  thus  I  shall  not  be  able  to  drink  any 


120  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

more  to-night.  Hand  me  the  jar,  Thorward,  and  let 
me  drink  again  before  I  come  to  that  pass." 

"  Hark !"  exclaimed  Gudrid,  "  there  must  be 
something  going  to  happen,  for  all  the  men  have 
become  suddenly  quiet." 

They  listened  intently  for  a  moment  or  two,  when 
Krake's  voice  broke  the  deep  silence  : — 

"  Come,  now,  don't  think  so  long  about  it,  as  if  ye 
were  composing  something  new.  Every  one  knows, 
sure,  that  it 's  about  sweet  Scotland  you  're  going  to 
sing." 

"  Eight,  Krake,  right,"  replied  a  rich  deep  voice, 
which  it  required  no  sight  to  tell  belonged  to  Hake, 
the  young  Scot;  "but  there  are  many  songs  about 
sweet  Scotland,  and  I  am  uncertain  which  to 
choose." 

"Let  it  be  lively,"  said  Krake. 

"  No,  no,  no,"  chorussed  some  of  the  men ;  "  let  it 
be  slow  and  sad." 

"Well  well,"  laughed  the  half- Irishman— as  he 
was  fond  of  styling  himself — "have  it  your  own 
way.  If  ye  won't  be  glad,  by  all  means  be  sad." 

A  moment  after,  Hake's  manly  tones  rose  on  the 
still  air  like  the  sound  of  an  organ,  while  he  sang 
one  of  the  ancient  airs  of  his  native  land,  wherein, 
like  the  same  airs  of  modern  days,  were  sounded  the 
praises  of  Scotland's  heather  hills  and  brawling 
burns — her  bonny  daughters  and  her  stalwart  sons. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  121 

To  those  in  the  large  tent  who  had  listened,  with 
breathless  attention  and  heads  half  averted,  it  was 
evident  that  song,  sentiments,  and  singer  were  highly 
appreciated,  from  the  hurst  of  hearty  applause  at 
the  conclusion,  and  the  eager  demand  for  another 
ditty.  But  Hake  protested  that  his  ruling  motto 
was  "fair  play,"  and  that  the  songs  must  circle 
round. 

"  So  let  it  be,"  cried  Swend. — "  Krake,  it  is  your 
turn  next." 

"I  won't  keep  ye  waiting,"  said  that  worthy, 
"  though  I  might  do  it,  too,  if  I  was  to  put  off  time 
selecting  from  the  songs  of  old  Ireland,  for  it 's  end- 
less they  are — and  in  great  variety.  Sure,  I  could 
give  ye  songs  about  hills  and  streams  that  are  supe- 
rior to  Scotland's  burns  and  braes  any  day — almost 
up  to  those  of  Gamle  Norge  if  they  were  a  bit  higher 
— the  hills  I  mean,  not  the  songs,  which  are  too  high 
already  for  a  man  with  a  low  voice — and  I  could 
sing  ye  a  lament  that  would  make  ye  shed  tears 
enough  to  wash  us  all  off  the  spit  of  land  here  into 
the  sea ;  but  that 's  not  in  my  way.  I  'm  fond  of  a 
lively  ditty,  so  here  you  are." 

With  that  Krake  struck  up  an  air  in  which  it  was 
roundly  asserted  that  Ireland  was  the  finest  country 
in  the  world  (except  Iceland,  as  he  stopped  in  his 
song  to  remark) ;  that  Irish  boys  and  girls  lived  in 
a  state  of  perpetual  hilarity  and  good- will,  and  that 


122        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

the  boys  displayed  this  amiable  and  pleasant  condi- 
tion chiefly  in  the  way  of  kissing  the  girls  and 
cracking  each  other's  crowns. 

After  that,  Swend  was  called  on  to  sing,  which  he 
did  of  Norway  with  tremendous  enthusiasm  and 
noise  but  little  melody.  Then  another  man  sang  a 
love-ditty  in  a  very  gruff  voice  and  much  out  of 
tune,  which,  nevertheless,  to  the  man's  evident  satis- 
faction, was  laughingly  applauded.  After  him  a  sen- 
timental youth  sang,  in  a  sweet  tenor  voice,  an  Ice- 
landic air,  and  then  Tyrker  was  called  on  to  do  his 
part,  but  flatly  refused  to  sing.  He  offered  to  tell 
a  saga  instead,  however,  which  he  did  in  such  a 
manner  that  he  made  the  sides  of  the  Norsemen 
ache  with  laughter — though,  to  say  truth,  they 
laughed  more  at  the  teller  than  the  tale. 

Thus  with  song  and  saga  they  passed  the  first 
hours  of  the  night,  while  the  camp  fires  blazed 
ruddily  on  their  weather-beaten  faces,  and  the  hea- 
venly constellations  shone,  not  only  on  the  sur- 
rounding landscape,  but  appeared  to  light  up  an- 
other world  of  cloudland  beneath  the  surface  of  the 
sleeping  sea. 

At  last  Karlsefin  went  out  to  them. 

"  Now,  lads,"  said  he,  "  it  is  high  time  that  you 
laid  your  heads  on  your  pillows.  Men  who  do  not 
sleep  well  cannot  labour  well  To-morrow  we  have 
hard  work  before  us  in  taking  possession  and  settling 


THE  FIRST  NIGHT  IN  VINLAND.— PAGE  122. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  123 

our  new  home.  God  has  prospered  us  thus  far.  We 
have  made  a  good  beginning  in  Vinland.  May  it 
be  the  foretaste  of  a  happy  ending.  Away,  then, 
and  get  you  to  rest  before  the  night  is  older,  and  let 
your  sleep  be  sound,  for  I  will  see  to  it  that  the 
sentinels  posted  round  the  camp  are  vigilant." 

The  men  received  this  brief  speech  with  a  murmur 
of  willing  acquiescence,  and  at  once  obeyed  the 
order ;  though  Krake  observed  that  he  fell  in  with 
the  custom  merely  out  of  respect  to  the  opinions  of 
his  comrades,  having  himself  long  ago  learned  to  do 
without  sleep  in  Ireland,  where  the  lads  were  in  the 
habit  of  working — or  fighting — all  day,  dancing  all 
night,  and  going  home  with  the  girls  in  the  niorn- 
iDg !  Each  Norseman  then  sought  a  spot  upon  the 
grassy  knoll  suited  to  his  taste ;  used  his  arm,  or 
a  hillock,  or  stone,  for  a  pillow,  or  anything  else 
that  came  conveniently  to  hand,  and  with  his  sword 
or  axe  beside  him,  and  his  shield  above  him  as 
a  coverlet,  courted  repose,  while  the  bright  stars 
twinkled  him  to  sleep,  and  the  rippling  wavelets 
on  the  shore  discoursed  his  lullaby. 


CHAPTEE    X. 

TAKING  POSSESSION  OP  THE  NEW  HOME,   AN  EVENT  WHICH  IS  CELE- 
BRATED BY  AN  EXPLOSION  AND  A  RECONCILIATION. 

EVERY  one  knows — at  least  a  well-known  proverb 
assures  us — that  "  early  to  bed  and  early  to  rise " 
conduces  to  health,  wealth,  and  wisdom.  The 
Norsemen  of  old  would  appear  to  have  been  ac- 
quainted with  the  proverb  and  the  cheering  pro- 
spect it  holds  out ;  perhaps  they  originated  it ;  at 
all  events,  that  they  acted  on  it,  and  probably  expe- 
rienced the  happy  results,  is  evident  from  the  fact 
that  Karlsefin  and  his  men  not  only  went  to  bed  in 
good  time  at  night — as  related  in  the  last  chapter — 
but  were  up  and  doing  by  daybreak  on  the  follow- 
ing morning. 

Having  roused  the  women,  relieved  the  sentinels, 
struck  the  tents,  and  carried  everything  safely  on 
board  the  Snake,  they  manned  the  oars,  or  large 
sweeps,  with  the  stoutest  of  the  crew,  and  prepared 
to  row  their  vessel  up  the  river  into  the  lake  on  the 
shores  of  which  they  designed  to  fix  their  future 
home.  Previous  to  this,  however,  a  party  of  men 

124 


AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  125 

were  told  off  to  remain  behind  and  cut  up  the  whale, 
slice  the  lean  portions  into  thin  layers,  and  dry  them 
in  the  sun  for  winter  use. 

"  See  that  you  make  a  good  job  of  it,"  said  Karl- 
sefin  to  Swend,  who  was  left  behind  as  the  leader  of 
the  whale -party — because  he  was  fat,  as  Krake  said, 
and,  therefore,  admirably  suited  for  such  work — 
"  and  be  careful  not  to  let  sand  get  amongst  the  meat. 
Cut  out  the  whalebone  too,  it  will  be  of  use  to  us ; 
and  don't  forget  that  there  may  be  enemies  lurking 
in  the  woods  near  you.  Keep  your  windward  eye 
uncovered,  and  have  your  weapons  always  handy/' 

Swend  promised  to  attend  to  these  orders,  and, — 
with  twenty  men,  armed  with  axes,  scythes,  and 
large  knives,  besides  their  swords,  shields,  bows  and 
arrows, — stood  on  the  ness  and  cheered  their  com- 
rades as  they  rowed  away. 

The  force  of  the  current  was  not  great,  so  that 
the  Snake  made  rapid  progress,  and  in  a  few  hours 
reached  the  place  where  the  small  stream  forked 
off  from  the  main  river.  This  they  named  Little 
Eiver.  Above  that  point  the  current  was  more 
rapid,  and  it  became  necessary  to  send  a  large  party 
of  men  on  shore  with  a  tracking -rope,  by  means 
of  which  and  the  oars  they  at  last  overcame  all 
obstacles,  and  finally  swept  out  upon  the  bosom  of 
the  beautiful  sheet  of  water  which  had  afforded  such 
delight  to  the  eyes  of  the  two  Scots. 


126  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"  Here,  then,  we  have  got  home  at  last,"  said 
Karlsefin,  as  they  rowed  over  the  still  water  to  a 
spit,  or  natural  landing-place,  near  Leif's  old 
booths. 

"  It  is  very  beautiful,"  said  Gudrid,  "  but  I  find 
it  difficult  to  call  it  home.  It  seems  so  strange, 
though  so  pleasant." 

"You  were  always  difficult  to  please,  Gudrid," 
said  Freydissa ;  "  surely  you  don't  think  Greenland 
— cold,  windy,  bleak,  nasty  Greenland — a  better 
home  than  this  ?" 

"  Nay,  sister,  I  made  no  comparison.  I  did  but 
say  that  it  seemed  strange,  and  I  'm  sure  that  Bertha 
agrees  with  me  in  that — don't  you,  Bertha  ?" 

"  Indeed  I  do/'  replied  the  maiden  ;  "  strange  the 
land  is,  but  beautiful  exceedingly." 

"  Of  course  she  '11  agree  with  what  you  say,"  cried 
Freydissa,  testily.  "I  would  that  she  agreed  as 
readily  with  me.  It  is  a  wonder  that  she  is  not 
weeping,  as  she  is  always  so  ready  to  do  on  the 
smallest  provocation,  or  without  any  provocation  at 
all." 

"  I  only  wept  on  leaving  my  father,"  remonstrated 
Bertha  with  a  winning  smile.  "  I  'm  sure  you  have 
not  seen  me  shed  a  tear  since  then.  Besides,  I  do 
agree  with  you  in  this  case,  for  I  think  Vinland  will 
be  a  pleasant  home.  Don't  you  too  ?"  she  added, 
turning  round  to  Thora,  who  had  been  standing  at 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  127 

her  side,  but  Thora  had  moved  away,  and  her  place 
had  been  taken  by  Hake,  the  Scot. 

Bertha  blushed  on  meeting  the  youth's  gaze,  and 
the  blush  deepened  when  Hake  said  in  a  quiet  under- 
tone, that  Vinland  could  not  but  be  a  pleasant  home 
to  him,  and  added  that  Greenland,  Iceland,  Norway, 
— anywhere, — would  be  equally  pleasant,  if  only  she 
were  there ! 

Poor  Bertha  was  so  taken  aback  by  the  cool  and 
sudden  boldness  of  this  unexpected  reply,  that  she 
looked  hastily  round  in  alarm  lest  it  had  been  over- 
heard ;  but  Hake,  not  intending  that  it  should  be 
overheard,  had  addressed  it  to  her  ear,  and  fortun- 
ately at  the  moment  the  grating  of  the  keel  upon 
the  pebbly  shore  drew  the  attention  of  all  to  the 
land. 

"  Now,  then,  jump  ashore,  lads,"  cried  Biarne, 
"  and  get  out  the  gangway.  Make  it  broad,  for  our 
cattle  must  not  be  allowed  to  risk  their  limbs  by 
tumbling  off." 

"While  Biarne  superintended  the  gangway,  Thor- 
ward  prepared  the  live  stock  for  their  agreeable 
change,  and  Karlsefin  went  up  to  examine  the  state 
of  the  huts.  They  were  found  to  be  in  excellent 
condition,  having  been  well  built  originally,  and  the 
doors  and  windows  having  been  secured  against  the 
weather  by  those  who  had  used  them  last. 

"  No  natives  can  have  been  here/'  observed  the 


128  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

leader  of  the  party  to  those  who  accompanied  him, 
"  because  every  fastening  is  secured,  apparently,  as 
it  was  left." 

"  Nevertheless,  Sigrid  and  I  have  seen  footprints 
in  the  sand,"  remarked  the  woman  Gunhild,  coming 
up  at  that  moment. 

"  Show  them  to  me,"  said  Karlsefin,  with  much 
interest. 

"  Yonder  they  are,"  replied  the  woman,  pointing 
towards  a  sandy  spot  on  her  left,  "  and  he  who  made 
them  must  have  been  a  giant,  they  are  so  large." 

"  Truly,  a  dangerous  giant  to  meet  with,"  observed 
Karlsefin,  laughing,  when  he  reached  the  place, 
"  these  are  none  other,  Gunhild,  than  the  footprints 
of  the  bear  that  the  two  Scots  sent  away  with  the 
toothache.  But  come,  we  will  open  these  huts  and 
have  them  put  in  order  and  made  comfortable 
against  supper-time.  So,  get  to  work  all  of  you  and 
see  how  active  you  can  be." 

While  some  of  the  party  were  busily  engaged 
in  sweeping  out  and  arranging  the  huts,  others 
shouldered  their  axes  and  went  into  the  woods  to 
cut  down  a  few  dead  trees  for  firewood,  and  when 
the  gangway  between  the  ship  and  the  shore  was 
completed  the  live  stock  was  driven  on  shore. 

There  was  something  quite  impressive  in  this 
part  of  the  landing.  There  was  a  deliberate  slow- 
ness in  the  movements  of  most  of  the.  animals  that 


OK  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  129 

gave  to  it  quite  the  air  of  a  solemn  procession,  and 
must  have  been  a  good  illustration,  on  a  small  scale, 
of  the  issuing  of  the  beasts  from  Noah's  Ark  on  the 
top  of  Ararat ! 

The  first  creature  which,  appropriately  enough, 
led  the  van,  was  a  lordly  black  bull.  Little  Olaf, 
whose  tastes  were  somewhat  peculiar,  had  made  a 
pet  of  this  bull  during  the  voyage,  and  by  feeding  it, 
scratching  it  behind  the  ears,  patting  its  nose,  giving 
it  water,  and  talking  to  it,  had  almost,  if  not  alto- 
gether, won  its  affections.  He  was  therefore  per- 
mitted to  superintend  the  landing  of  it. 

"  Come,  get  on,  Blackie,"  cried  Olaf,  giving  the 
bull  a  push  on  the  flank  as  it  stood  on  the  gangway 
with  its  head  high,  tail  slightly  raised,  nostrils  ex- 
panded, and  eyes  flashing.  It  glanced  from  side  to 
side  as  if  to  take  a  general  survey  of  its  new  domains. 

Olaf  advised  it  to  "  get  on "  again,  but  Blackie 
deigned  to  take  no  further  notice  than  by  a  deep- 
toned  internal  rumbling. 

"Not  unlike  Mount  Hecla  when  it  is  going  to 
explode,"  said  Biarne,  laughing. 

"  Come  back,  boy,  he  will  do  you  a  mischief/'  cried 
Gudrid  in  some  alarm. 

"  Why,  Olaf,"  said  Karlsefin,  "  your  pet  is  going 
to  be  disobedient.  Speak  louder  to  him." 

Instead  of  speaking  louder  Olaf  quietly  grasped 
the  brute's  tail  and  gave  it  a  twist. 

I 


130  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

The  effect  was  wonderful  and  instantaneous.  The 
huge  animal  rushed  wildly  along  the  gangway,  leaped 
across  the  beach,  making  the  pebbles  fly  as  he  went, 
scampered  over  the  green  turf  and  plunged  into  the 
forest,  kicking  up  his  heels,  flourishing  his  tail  and 
bellowing  in  frantic  delight ! 

Most  of  the  cows  went  slowly  and  placidly  along 
the  gangway,  and  landed  with  easy-going  satisfaction 
expressed  in  their  patient  faces,  to  the  supreme  con- 
tempt of  Freydissa,  who  said  she  wished  that  they 
had  all  been  bulls.  There  was  one  young  heifer 
amongst  them,  however,  which  proved  an  exception 
to  the  rule.  It  glared  savagely  round,  as  if  in 
imitation  of  the  bull,  refused  point-blank  to  land, 
swerved  from  side  to  side  of  the  gangway,  backed 
right  into  the  ship  at  the  risk  of  its  neck  and  limbs, 
attempted  to  charge  the  men,  created  dire  confusion 
and  alarm  among  the  poultry,  and  finally  fell  off  the 
gangway  into  the  water,  and  scrambled  on  shore  in 
a  way  that  must  have  thrilled  Freydissa's  heart  with 
admiration — although  she  did  not  say  so,  but  main- 
tained a  grim  silence  all  the  time. 

Next  came  the  sheep,  which,  owing  perhaps  to 
sea-sickness,  or  home-sickness,  or  some  other  cause, 
looked  remarkably  sheepish,  and  Walked  on  shore 
with  as  much  solemnity  as  if  each  had  been  attend- 
ing the  funeral  of  the  rest.  There  were  about  twenty 
of  these,  and  after  them  came  a  dozen  or  so  of  Ice- 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  131 

landic  ponies,  which,  although  somewhat  more 
active  than  the  sheep,  were  evidently  suffering  in 
their  spirits  from  the  effects  of  the  recent  voyage. 
One  of  them,  however,  on  feeling  the  soft  turf  under 
his  feet,  attempted  to  neigh,  without  much  success, 
and  another  said  something  that  sounded  more  like 
a  horse-laugh  than  anything  else. 

Then  followed  the  fowls,  some  of  which  walked, 
some  flew,  and  others  fluttered,  according  to  their 
varying  moods,  with  an  immense  deal  of  fuss  and 
cackling,  which  was  appropriately  capped  by  the 
senior  cock  mounting  on  one  of  the  huts  and  taking 
possession  of  the  land  with  an  ecstatic  crow. 

The  procession  was  brought  up  by  the  ducks, 
which  waddled  out  of  the  ship,  some  with  an  ex- 
pression of  grave  surprise,  some  with  "  quacks  "  of 
an  inquiring  nature,  others  with  dubious  steps  and 
slow,  while  a  few,  with  an  eye  to  the  "  main  chance," 
made  ineffectual  dabs  at  little  roughnesses  in  their 
pathway,  in  the  hope  that  these  might  turn  out  to 
be  edible. 

At  last  all  were  landed  and  driven  up  into  the 
woods,  where  they  were  left  without  any  fear  being 
entertained  as  to  their  going  astray,  seeing  that  they 
were  guarded  by  several  fine  dogs,  which  were  too 
much  associated  with  the  men  as  companions  to  be 
included  in  the  foregoing  list  of  the  lower  animals. 

"  Shall  we  set  the  nets  ?"  said  Hake,  going  up  to 


132  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

Kaiisefin,  who  was  busy  arranging  tlie  principal 
hut,  while  the  men  were  bringing  their  goods  and 
chattels  on  shore.  "You  know  we  saw  a  salmon 
leap  from  a  pool  on  Little  Eiver.  Doubtless  they 
are  in  the  lake  also." 

"Try  it,  Hake,  by  all  means.  Go  with  your 
brother  in  the  little  boat  and  set  them  where  you 
think  best.  Fresh  salmon  for  supper  would  be  a  rare 
treat  just  now.  Are  you  sure  it  was  a  salmon  you 
saw,  and  not  a  large  trout?" 

"  Sure  ?  Ay,  as  sure  as  I  am  that  a  horse  is  not 
a  cow,"  replied  Hake,  smiling. 

"  Go  then,  and  luck  go  with  you." 

The  nets  were  soon  set  in  the  bay,  near  the  point 
of  the  ness  on  which  the  huts  were  built,  and  near 
to  which  a  small  mountain-stream  entered  the  lake. 

Suddenly  a  shrill  angry  voice  was  heard  issuing 
from  one  of  the  smaller  huts  near  the  lake.  It  was 
Freydissa  storming  at  poor  Bertha.  There  was  an 
occasional  bass  growl  intermingled  with  it.  That 
was  Thorward  remonstrating. 

"  Poor  Bertha,"  said  Karlsefin  to  Biarne,  who  was 
standing  beside  him  at  the  time,  "  she  has  a  hard 
mistress." 

"  Poor  Thorward,"  said  Biarne,  "  he  has  a  tough 
wife." 

"  Thorward  will  cure  or  kill  her,"  rejoined  Karlse- 
fin, with  a  laugh.  "  He  is  a  long-suffering  man,  and 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  133- 

very  tender  to  women  withal,  but  he  is  not  made  of 
butter." 

Biarne  shook  his  head.  He  evidently  had  not 
much  opinion  of  Thor ward's  resolution  when  opposed 
by  the  will  and  passion  of  such  a  termagant  as  Frey- 
dissa. 

"  How  much  better  'twould  have  been,"  said  he, 
"if  Thorward  had  married  her  maid — the  sweet 
little  fair-haired  blue- eyed  Bertha." 

"  Why,  Biarne,  methinks  that  tJwu  art  somewhat 
like  to  try  that  plan,"  said  his  friend,  looking  at 
him  in  surprise,  for  he  had  spoken  with  much  en- 
thusiasm. 

"  Not  I,  man,"  returned  Biarne,  with  a  smile  and 
a  shake  of  the  head.  "It  is  long  since  my  heart 
was  buried  in  Iceland.  I  am  doomed  to  be  an  old 
bachelor  now." 

They  both  listened  at  this  point,  for  the  domestic 
brawl  in  the  small  hut  seemed  to  be  waxing  furious. 
Thorward's  voice  was  not  heard  so  often,  but  when 
it  did  sound  there  was  an  unusually  stern  tone  in  it, 
and  Freydissa's  became  so  loud  that  her  words  were 
audible. 

"  It  has  been  killed,  I  tell  you,  Bertha,  by  sheer 
carelessness.  If  you  had  fed  it  properly  it  would 
have  been  as  well  as  the  others.  Don't  say  you  did 
your  best  for  it.  You  didn't.  You  know  you  didn't. 
You're  a  smooth-faced  vixen.  You  are.  Don't 


1  34  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

speak.  Don't  speak  back,  I  say.  Hold  your  tongue. 
You  killed  that  kitten  by  carelessness." 

"  If  you  don't  hold  your  tongue,  wife,"  said  Thor- 
ward,  in  a  loud  stern  voice,  "  I  '11  kill  the  cat  too." 

There  was  a  pa-use  here,  as  if  the  threat  had  taken 
away  Freydissa's  breath. 

"  Oho  !  that  'a  the  poor  little  kitten,"  whispered 
Karlsefin  to  Biarne,  referring  to  one  of  a  litter  that 
had  been  born  at  sea,  "  that  was  nigh  eaten  by  one 
of  the  dogs.  Bertha  had  no  hand  in  its  death.  I 
wonder  it  lived  so  long." 

"  Kill  the  cat  ?"  shrieked  Freydissa,  stamping  her 
foot. 

This  was  instantly  followed  by  an  unearthly  cat- 
terwaul  and  the  sudden  appearance  of  a  dark  object 
in  the  air,  which,  issuing  from  the  door  of  the  hut, 
flew  upwards  like  a  sky-rocket,  described  a  wide 
curve,  and  fell  heavily  about  fifty  yards  out  into  the 
lake.  Next  moment  Freydissa  sprang  from  the  hut 
and  stood  with  clasped  hands  on  the  shore  in  speech- 
less horror.  Thorward  immediately  after  came  forth 
with  a  dark  frown  on  his  face,  and  walked  away  into 
the  forest.  Freydissa  stood  like  a  statue  for  some 
minutes,  and  then,  seeing  that  the  cat  lay  quite 
motionless,  she  turned,  and,  with  a  face  that  was 
deadly  pale,  re-entered  the  hut. 

"  It  was  cruel,"  observed  Karlsefin  sadly. 

"  But  salutary,  perhaps/'  said  Biarne. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  135 

"  It  may  be  so,"  rejoined  the  other ;  "  but  even  if 
Thorward's  end  be  a  good  one,  a  right  end  does  not 
justify  a  wrong  action. — Ah !  here  comes  sunshine. 
How  goes  it,  Gudrid?" 

Gudrid,  who  came  forward  at  the  moment,  and 
knew  nothing  of  what  had  occurred,  said  that  she 
wanted  Karlsefin's  help,  if  he  could  spare  time,  in 
order  to  arrange  some  of  the  fixtures  in  their  new 
home. 

Assuring  her  that  she  herself  was  the  most  valu- 
able "  fixture  "  in  the  house,  Karlsefin  left  his  work 
and  the  two  walked  off  together,  while  Biarne  went 
down  to  the  ship. 

Meanwhile  Thorward  returned  to  his  hut,  where 
he  found  Freydissa  alone,  sitting  on  a  box  with  her 
face  buried  in  her  hands.  She  did  not  move,  so  he 
sat  down  beside  her  with  a  subdued  look. 

"Freydissa,"  he  said,  "I'm  sorry  I  did  that. 
'Twas  cruel,  'twas  hard ;  but  it  is  done  now,  and 
can't  be  undone.  Forgive  me,  lass,  if  you  can." 

She  raised  her  head  suddenly,  and  gazed  at  him 
with  a  flushed  countenance. 

"  Thorward,"  she  said  with  energy,  "  if  you  had 
come  with  any  other  tone  or  word  I  would  have 
hated  you  with  all  the  power  of  my  heart — " 

"  And  that 's  a  strong  power,  Freydissa." 

"  It  is.     But  now — " 

She  threw  her  arms  round  her  husband's  neck 


136  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

and  kissed  him.  Thorward  returned  the  kiss  with 
the  vigour  of  a  man  who  is  wont  to  give  back  more 
than  he  gets. 

"  Thanks,  my  girl,"  said  he,  rising,  "  thanks. 
That  puts  my  heart  at  ease.  As  for  the  poor  cat, 
she 's  beyond  the  influence  of  anger  or  repentance 
now  ;  but  trust  me,  Freydissa,  I  shall  fetch  you  the 
handsomest  cat  that  can  be  had  for  love  or  money 
in  all  Greenland,  or  Iceland ;  ay,  even  if  I  should 
have  to  make  a  special  voyage  to  get  hold  of  it." 

Thus  did  Thorward  and  Freydissa  fall  out,  and 
thus  were  they  reconciled,  on  the  first  day  in  their 
new  home  in  Vinland. 

Talking  this  matter  over  with  Thorward  next 
day,  Karlsefin  took  occasion  to  give  his  friend  some 
sage  advice. 

"  Depend  upon  it,  Thorward,"  said  he,  "  no  good 
ever  comes  of  quarrelling  or  violence,  but,  on  the 
contrary,  much  evil.  'Tis  well  that  you  confessed 
your  fault  to  her,  else  had  she  ever  after  held  you 
in  light  esteem;  because,  although  she  deserved 
reproof,  the  cat  did  not  deserve  to  be  killed. 

"  Beshrew  me —  ! " 

"  Nay,"  interrupted  Karlsefin,  with  a  laugh,  "  that 
is  the  last  thing  you  ought  to  say,  seeing  that  you 
have  had  so  much  beshrewing  already." 

"  Well,  well,"  said  Thorward,  "  thou  art  wonder- 
fully smart  at  giving  good  advice." 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  137 

"  Would  that  I  could  say  thou  \vert  equally  smart 
at  taking  it !  However,  I  have  hope  of  thee,  Thor- 
ward.  Come,  let  us  go  see  what  the  nets  have  pro- 
duced. I  observe  Hake  and  Heika  rowing  to  land." 

It  was  found  that  the  fishermen  had  loaded  their 
boat  with  magnificent  trout  of  all  sizes — some  above 
five  or  six  pounds'  weight — besides  a  large  quantity 
of  excellent  fish  of  other  kinds,  but  not  a  single 
salmon  had  been  taken.  Nevertheless  they  had 
good  reason  to  be  content  with  their  success,  for  the 
supply  was  sufficient  to  provide  a  hearty  supper  for 
the  whole  party,  so  that  the  first  night  in  the  new 
home, — like  the  first  night  in  the  new  land, — was 
a  merry  one. 


CHAPTEE  XL 

SETTLING  DOWN— HAKE  PROVES  THAT  HIS  ARMS,  AS  WELL  AS  HIS 
LEGS,  ARE  GOOD— A  WONDERFUL  FISHING  INCIDENT,  WHICH  ENDS 
IN  A  SCENE  BETWEEN  FREYDISSA  AND  KRAKE. 

THE  little  hamlet  on  the  Vinland  lake,  which  had 
been  so  long  silent  and  deserted,  resounded  from 
that  time  forth  with  the  voices  and  activities  of 
energetic  labourers,  for  these  adventurous  Norsemen 
had  much  to  do  before  their  new  home  could  be  made 
comfortable. 

The  forest  and  undergrowth  around  had  to  be 
cleared ;  the  huts,  of  which  there  were  six,  had  to 
be  cleaned  out,  fitted  up  with  new  parchment  in  the 
windows — for  there  was  no  glass  in  those  days — and 
new  thatch  on  the  roofs,  besides  being  generally  re- 
paired ;  additional  huts  had  to  be  built  for  the 
people,  pens  for  the  sheep,  and  stabling  for  the 
cattle,  all  of  which  implied  felling  and  squaring 
timber,  while  the  smaller  articles  of  household  fur- 
niture and  fittings  kept  the  people  generally  in  full 
occupation.  Of  course  a  party  had  to  be  told  off  as 
hunters  for  the  community,  while  another  party  were 

138 


AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBCS.  139 

set  to  attend  to  the  nets  in  the  lake,  and  a  third, 
under  the  special  charge  of  Karlsefin,  went  out  at 
intervals  to  scour  the  woods,  with  the  double  pur- 
pose of  procuring  food  and  investigating  the  charac- 
ter and  resources  of  the  new  land. 

In  regard  to  this  last  these  settlers  had  every 
reason  to  be  satisfied.  The  country  appeared  to  be 
boundless  in  extent,  and  was  pleasantly  diversified 
in  form  ;  the  waters  teemed  with  fish,  the  land  was 
rich  with  verdure,  and  the  forests  swarmed  with 
game,  large  and  small. 

One  day  Karlsefin  and  Biarne,  attended  by  Hake 
and  several  men,  went  out  for  a  ramble  of  exploration 
in  the  direction  of  the  small  river,  or  branch  of  the 
large  river,  mentioned  in  a  previous  chapter.  Some 
of  the  party  were  armed  with  bows  and  arrows, 
others  had  spears,  the  leader  and  his  friend  carried 
short  spears  or  javelins.  All  wore  their  swords  and 
iron  head-pieces,  and  carried  shields.  Indeed,  no 
party  was  ever  allowed  to  go  beyond  the  neighbour- 
hood of  the  settlement  without  being  fully  armed, 
for  although  no  natives  had  yet  been  seen,  it  was 
quite  possible,  nay,  highly  probable,  that  when  they 
did  appear,  their  arrival  would  be  sudden  and  unex- 
pected. 

As  they  advanced,  they  heard  a  rustle  of  leaves 
behind  a  knoll,  and  next  instant  a  large  deer 
bounded  across  their  path.  Karlsefin  hurled  his 


140  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

spear  with  sudden  violence,  and  grazed  its  back. 
Biarne  flung  his  weapon  and  missed  it.  There  was 
an  exclamation  of  disappointment  among  the  men, 
which,  however,  was  turned  into  a  cheer  of  satisfac- 
tion when  Hake  let  fly  an  arrow  and  shot  it  through 
the  heart.  So  forcibly  was  the  shaft  sent  that  it 
passed  quite  through  the  animal,  and  stood,  blood- 
stained and  quivering,  in  the  stem  of  a  tree  beyond, 
while  the  deer  leaped  its  own  height  into  the  air, 
and  fell  stone-dead  upon  the  sward. 

"A  brave  shot — excellently  done!"  exclaimed 
Karlsefin,  turning  to  the  young  Scot  with  a  look  of 
admiration;  "and  not  the  first  or  second  time  I 
have  seen  thee  do  something  of  the  same  sort,  from 
which  I  conclude  that  it  is  not  chance,  but  that  your 
hand  is  always  quick,  and  your  eye  generally  true. 
Is  it  not  so  ?" 

"  I  never  miss  my  mark,"  said  Hake. 

"  How  now  ?  you  never  miss  your  mark  ?  It 
seems  to  me,  young  man,  that  though  your  air  is 
modest,  your  heart  and  words  are  boastful" 

"  I  never  boast,"  replied  Hake  gravely. 

"  Say  you  so  ?"  cried  Karlsefin  energetically, 
glancing  round  among  the  trees.  "  Come,  clear  your- 
self in  this  matter.  See  you  yonder  little  bird  on 
the  topmost  branch  of  that  birch-tree  that  overhangs 
the  stream  ?  It  is  a  plain  object,  well  defined  against 
the  sky.  Touch  it  if  you  can." 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  141 

"  That  little  bird,"  said  Hake,  without  moving,  "  is 
not  my  mark.  I  never  make  a  mark  of  the  moon, 
nor  yet  of  an  object  utterly  beyond  the  compass  of 
my  shafts." 

"  Well,  it  is  considerably  out  of  range,"  returned 
Karlsefin,  laughing ;  "  but  come,  I  will  test  you. 
See  you  the  round  knot  on  the  stem  of  yonder  pine  ? 
It  is  small  truly,  so  small  that  I  can  barely  see  it, 
nevertheless  it  is  not  more  than  half  a  bowshot  off 
Do  you  object  to  make  that  your  mark  ?" 

The  words  had  scarcely  left  his  lips  when  an 
arrow  stood  quivering  in  the  knot  referred  to. 

With  an  exclamation  and  look  of  surprise  Karl- 
sefin said  it  must  have  been  a  chance,  and  Biarne 
seemed  inclined  to  hold  the  same  opinion;  but 
while  they  were  yet  speaking,  Hake  planted  another 
arrow  close  by  the  side  of  the  first. 

"  Once  more,  Hake,"  said  Krake,  who  stood  close 
behind  the  archer;  "there's  a  saying  in  Ireland  that 
there 's  good  fortune  in  odd  numbers  :  try  it  again." 

The  Scot  readily  complied,  and  sent  a  third  shaft 
into  the  knot,  with  its  head  touching  the  heads  of 
the  other  two  arrows. 

"Enough,  enough,  your  arms  are  as  good  as  your 
legs,"  said  Karlsefin.  "Ye  are  a  valuable  thrall, 
Hake,  and  Leif  Ericsson  has  reason  to  be  grateful  to 
King  Olaf  of  Norway  for  his  gift. — Here,  two  of  you, 
sling  that  deer  on  a  pole  and  bear  it  to  Gudrid. 


142        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

Tell  her  how  deftly  it  was  brought  down,  and  relate 
what  you  have  seen  just  now.  And  hark  ee,"  he 
added,  with  a  peculiar  smile,  "  there  is  no  occasion 
to  say  anything  about  what  occurred  before  the  suc- 
cessful shot.  It  always  adds  to  the  value  of  a  good 
story  that  it  be  briefly  as  well  as  pithily  told,  and 
disencumbered  from  unnecessary  details.  A  wise 
tongue  is  that  which  knows  when  to  wag  and  when 
to  lie  still. — Come,  Biarne,  we  will  proceed  in  our 
examination  of  this  stream." 

Leaving  behind  them  the  two  men  who  were  to 
return  to  the  huts  with  the  deer,  they  proceeded 
down  the  banks  of  Little  River,  until  they  came  to 
the  pool  where  Hake  and  his  brother  had  seen  the 
salmon  leap.  On  the  way  down,  however,  the  leader 
had  been  convinced  of  the  fact  that  many  salmon 
were  there,  having  seen  several  rise,  and  observed 
others  passing  over  some  of  the  pebbly  shallows. 

"It  was  here,  was  it  not,"  asked  Biarne,  "that 
you  and  your  brother  saw  the  salmon  leaping  on  the 
occasion  of  your  first  visit  ?" 

"  It  was,"  replied  Hake. 

"  At  what  part  of  the  pool  ?" 

"Just  below  the  tail  of  the  island,  where  the 
water  is  deep,  and  rolls  with  numberless  oily 
ripples." 

"  Ha !  a  likely  spot,"  said  Karlsefin. 

At  that  moment  a  salmon  leaped  out  of  the  pool, 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  143 

as  if  to  assure  him  that  Hake's  statement  was  true, 
and  immediately  afterwards  another  fish  rose  and 
flourished  its  fan-like  tail,  as  if  to  make  assurance 
doubly  sure. 

For  some  time  they  went  about  examining  that 
part  of  the  river,  which,  the  reader  will  remember, 
has  been  described  as  being  divided  for  some  dis- 
tance by  a  long  island  into  two  streams,  which 
again  united  after  spreading  out  into  a  broad  rip- 
pling shallow.  Here  Biarne  was  very  silent  and 
very  close  in  his  inspection  of  the  bed  of  the  river, 
particularly  at  the  top  and  lower  end  of  the  island. 

"  It  appears  to  me  as  if  some  plan  were  rolling  in 
your  head,  Biarne,"  said  Karlsefin ;  "  what  may  it- 
be  ?" 

"  Truly  a  plan  is  forming  in  my  brain.  Simple 
enough  too,  only  the  details  require  consideration." 

"  Well,  we  must  now  return  home,  so  we  can  dis- 
cuss it  on  the  way." 

"You  know  of  our  custom  in  Iceland,"  said 
Biarne,  as  they  retraced  their  steps,  "  in  regard  to 
a  river  which  is  similar  to  this  in  the  matter  of 
having  two  channels — they  shut  off  the  water  from 
one  channel  and  catch  the  fish  when  the  bed  is 
dry." 

"  Know  it  ?  Ay,  I  know  it  well ;  why,  man, 
how  comes  it  that  this  did  not  occur  to  me  before  ? 
We  will  have  it  tried,  and  that  without  delay. 


144        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

What  is  worth  doing  at  all  is  worth  doing  at  once, 
unless  it  can  be  clearly  shown  that  there  shall  be 
distinct  gain  by  delay.  As  this  cannot  be  shown 
on  the  present  occasion  we  will  begin  to-morrow." 

Accordingly,  in  pursuance  of  this  resolve,  Karlse- 
fin  went  down  to  the  island  on  Little  Eiver  with  a 
large  party  of  men,  and  set  to  work  Biarne  under- 
took to  superintend  what  may  be  termed  the  engi- 
neering operations,  and  Thorward,  who  was  a  handy 
fellow,  directed  the  mechanical  details. 

First  of  all,  Biarne  fixed  on  the  spot  at  the  top  of 
the  island  where  a  dam  was  to  be  thrown  across  the 
right  branch  of  the  stream — that  being  the  channel 
which  was  to  be  run  dry — and  planned  the  direc- 
tion in  which  it  was  to  be  placed  and  the  form  it 
was  to  take.  Then  strong  stakes  were  driven  into 
the  bed  of  the  river  all  across  the  head  of  that 
branch.  While  this  was  being  done  Thorward 
marked  off  some  tall  straight  trees  in  the  forest, 
and  set  men  to  cut  them  down,  while  Karlsefin 
directed,  and  with  his  own  hands  aided,  a  party  ap- 
pointed to  collect  large  piles  of  earth,  sand,  stones, 
mud,  and  branches,  on  the  river's  bank. 

Although  the  men  were  numerous  and  active,  the 
work  was  so  extensive  that  it  was  sunset  before  all 
the  stakes  were  driven,  the  first  of  the  heavy  logs 
laid  down  in  the  bed  of  the  stream,  and  the  rest  of 
the  material  collected  in  readiness  on  the  banks. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  145 

Having  completed  these  preparations  they  returned 
to  the  huts  and  made  arrangements  for  a  grand 
effort  on  the  following  day. 

Early  in  the  morning  nearly  the  whole  body  of 
the  people  set  off  to  Little  River,  leaving  the  settle- 
ment in  charge  of  one  or  two  men  who  chanced  at 
that  time  to  be  sick.  Of  course  Olaf  was  with 
them,  armed  with  a  huge  iron  hook  fastened  to  the 
end  of  a  stout  pole.  All  the  women  also  went, 
being  quite  as  anxious  as  the  men  to  witness  the 
sport 

The  island  reached,  Karlsefin  divided  his  party 
into  two  bands.  The  smaller  body,  numbering  about 
'twenty-five,  were  stationed  in  the  water  at  the  lower 
end  of  the  channel,  at  equal  distances  from  each 
other,  so  as  to  extend  from  the  tail  of  the  island  to 
the  right  bank  of  the  stream.  These  carried  strong 
poles  about  seven  feet  long,  and  were  placed  there 
to  frighten  back  any  fish  that  might  attempt  to  rush 
down  the  river.  The  rest  of  the  men  went  in  a  body 
to  the  dam,  and  there  awaited  orders. 

When  all  was  ready  Karlsefin  said  to  them — 

"My  lads,  if  we  would  act  well  we  must  act 
together.  Here  is  the  plan  on  which  you  are  to 
proceed.  On  getting  the  word  from  Biarne  to  begin, 
you  will  all  set  to  work  to  dam  up  the  water,  right 
across  from  this  bank  to  the  head  of  the  island. 
You  see  that  we  have  already  done  the  work  in  part, 
K 


146        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

so  that  it  only  requires  to  be  completed,  and  to  have 
the  centre  gap  stopped  up.  That  will  be  the  diffi- 
cult point,  for  the  great  rush  of  water  will  be  there, 
and  you  will  have  to  do  it  quickly — to  heave  in 
the  logs  and  stones  and  rubbish,  not  forgetting  the 
branches  and  the  turf,  which  will  keep  all  together 
—as  if  your  very  lives  depended  on  your  speed.  A 
certain  number  of  you,  who  shall  be  told  off  pre- 
sently, will  do  your  best  at  the  same  time  to  deepen 
the  channel  of  the  other  branch  of  the  stream.  When 
this  is  done  you  will  have  a  little  breathing  space, 
for  doubtless  the  water  will  take  a  little  time  to 
run  off.  You  will  take  advantage  of  this  time  to 
get  your  hooks  and  poles  and  landing-nets  in  readi- 
ness. For  the  rest  your  own  sense  will  guide  you. 
— Now,  Biarne,  tell  off  the  men  and  go  to  work." 

Eeader,  you  should  have  seen  the  countenance  of 
little  Olaf  Ericsson  when  all  this  was  being  said  and 
done  !  Many  a  time  had  he  seen  nets  hauled  and 
fish  taken,  and  often  had  he  dreamt  of  netting  whales 
and  other  sea-monsters,  but  never  before  had  he 
imagined  such  a  thing  as  laying  the  bed  of  a  river 
dry ;  and  his  exuberant  fancy  depicted  to  him  scenes 
which  it  is  not  possible  to  describe.  His  visage 
glowed,  and  his  large  blue  eyes  glared  with  excite- 
ment, while  his  little  bosom  heaved  and  his  heart 
beat  high  with  expectation. 

This  condition  of  course  increased  tenfold  when 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  147 

he  saw  the  men  cast  off  more  or  less  of  their  upper 
garments  and  spring  to  the  work  with  the  energy  of 
lunatics.  In  his  own  small  way  he  carried  logs  and 
branches  and  mud  and  stones  till  he  was  as  dirty 
and  dishevelled  as  the  best  of  them ;  and  when 
Gudrid  looked  horrified  at  him,  and  said  that  it 
would  be  next  to  impossible  to  clean  him,  he  burst 
into  such  a  fit  of  laughter  that  he  lost  his  balance, 
fell  head  over  heels  into  the  river,  which  was  only 
knee-deep  at  the  place,  and  came  out  more  than 
half-washed  in  a  moment ! 

"  You  see  it  won't  be  so  difficult  as  you  think," 
he  cried,  laughing  and  gasping  when  he  emerged ; 
"another  plunge  like  that  would  make  me  quite 
clean,  aunty." 

"  Ho !  Olaf,  were  you  after  a  salmon?"  cried  Swend, 
as  he  passed  with  a  large  log  on  his  shoulder. 

"  Not  I,  Swend ;  it  was  a  whale  I  was  after." 

"  You  don't  say  that,  boy  ?"  cried  Krake,  in  a  tone 
of  admiration.  "  Was  he  a  big  one  ?" 

"Oh!  frightful— so  big  that— that— I  couldn't 
see  him  all." 

"  Couldn't  see  him  at  all  1  Ah,  then,  he  was  a 
big  one,  sure.  The  things  we  can't  see  at  all  are 
always  the  most  wonderful." 

"  Foolish  boy,"  said  Gudrid ;  "  come,  I  will  wring 
the  water  out  of  your  clothes." 

"Tis    hardly  worth  while,    aunty,"   said   Olaf, 


148  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

coming  on  shore ;  "  1 11  be  as  wet  as  ever  in  a  few 
minutes." 

The  careful  Gudrid  nevertheless  wrung  as  much 
water  out  of  his  dripping  garments  as  was  possible 
without  taking  them  off.  By  the  time  this  was  done 
the  dam  had  been  completed,  and  the  men  stood 
on  the  banks  of  the  river  wiping  off  and  wringing 
out  the  superabundant  mud  and  water  from  their 
clothes,  besides  getting  ready  hooks,  nets,  and  staves. 
Some  of  the  nets  were  several  fathoms  in  length. 
Others  were  small  bags  fastened  to  wooden  rings  at 
the  end  of  long  poles. 

Presently  a  shout  was  heard  from  the  men  at  the 
lower  end  of  the  pool,  and  they  were  seen  to  use 
their  staves  smartly  several  times,  as  some  of  the 
fish,  alarmed  no  doubt  at  the  strange  doings  above, 
endeavoured  to  shoot  down  the  river.  Ere  long  the 
stony  ground  on  which  -these  men  stood  became  a 
rippling  shallow,  and,  soon  afterwards,  a  neck  of 
land  connecting  the  lower  end  of  the  island  with  the 
shore.  They  therefore  abandoned  it  and  rejoined 
their  comrades  higher  up.  The  fish  were  now  im- 
prisoned in  a  pool,  retreat  having  been  effectually 
cut  off  above  and  below,  and  the  whole  river  diverted 
into  the  bed  of  its  left  branch. 

As  the  water  lowered  it  became  obvious  that  the 
pool  thus  isolated  was  absolutely  swarming  with 
salmon,  for  they  could  be  seen  darting  hither  and 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  149 

thither  in  shoals,  making  for  the  deeper  parts  of  the 
pool,  and  jostling  one  another  under  stones.  Gradu- 
ally little  islets  began  to  appear  as  the  water  con- 
tinued to  sink,  and  then  the  fish  seemed  to  be  seized 
with  a  panic.  They  shot  like  silver  arrows  from 
bank  to  bank — up  the  pool  and  down  again,  as  if 
enjoying  a  piscatorial  country  dance,  or,  in  blind 
flight,  rushed  clear  out  upon  the  pebbly  islets,  in 
half  dozens  at  a  time,  where  they  leaped,  slid, 
twirled,  and  bounded  frantically,  in  what  bore  some 
resemblance  to  a  piscatorial  reel.  Then,  slipping 
into  the  water  again,  and  recovering  their  fins  and 
tails,  they  shot  away  to  encounter  similar  misfor- 
tune elsewhere,  or  to  thrust  their  noses  under  stones, 
and — entertaining  the  same  delusive  notions  that 
are  said  to  characterize  the  ostrich — imagine  that 
they  were  not  seen  ! 

By  degrees  the  islets  enlarged  until  they  joined 
here  and  there,  and,  finally,  the  state  of  things  being 
inverted,  the  bed  of  the  stream  became  a  series  of 
little  ponds,  which  were  absolutely  boiling  with  fish 
— not  unlike,  as  Krake  remarked,  to  the  boiling 
springs  of  Iceland,  only  that  those  boiled  with  heat 
instead  of  with  living  fish. 

And  now  commenced  a  scene  such  as,  unques- 
tionably, had  not  been  witnessed  there  since  Vin- 
land  was  created.  The  Norsemen  were  half  mad 
with  excitement.  The  women  ran  up  and  down 


1  50  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

the  banks  clapping  their  hands  and  shouting  with 
delight,  while  Freydissa,  unable  to  contain  herself, 
cast  appearances  to  the  dogs,  leaped  among  the  men, 
and  joined  in  the  fray. 

"  The  big  pool  first ;  this  way,  lads  !"  shouted 
Karlsefin,  as  he  seized  the  end  of  a  long  net  and 
dragged  it  towards  the  pool  in  question. 

Twenty  willing  hands  assisted.  The  net  en- 
circled the  pool  and  was  thrust  in ;  men  with  poles 
forced  one  side  of  it  down  to  the  bottom,  and  the 
two  ends  were  hauled  upon  might  and  main.  At 
the  same  moment,  other  men  went  with  hand 
nets  to  smaller  pools,  and,  scooping  up  the  fish, 
sent  them  writhing  and  struggling  through  the  air 
towards  the  bank,  where  Gudrid,  Thora,  Astrid, 
Gunhild,  Sigrid,  and  even  timid  Bertha,  sought  in 
vain  to  restrain  their  struggles  and  prevent  them 
from  wriggling  back  into  the  almost  dry  bed  of  the 
stream. 

"  Haul  away  with  heart,  men  !"  shouted  Biarne, 
who  was  at  one  end  of  the  large  net. 

Already  the  stout  ropes  were  strained  to  the 
uttermost — at  last  the  net  came  out  bursting  with 
salmon ;  more  hands  were  hailed ;  it  was  run  over 
the  pebbles,  up  the  bank,  and  onwards  to  a  flat  open 
spot,  where,  with  a  shout,  it  was  emptied  on  the 
greensward. 

Talk   of  silver  bars  !     The  simile   is  wretched. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  151 

No  simile  is  of  any  avail  here.  The  brightest  and 
freshest  silver  bars  ever  cast  might  shine  as  much 
as  these  salmon  did,  but  they  could  not  glitter  so, 
for  they  could  not  wriggle  and  spring  and  tumble. 
They  could  not  show  that  delicate  pink  which 
enhanced  the  silvery  sheen  so  wondrously.  They 
could  not  exhibit  that  vigorous  life  which  told  of 
firm  flakes — suggestive  of  glorious  meals  for  many 
a  day  to  come.  Pooh  !  even  their  intrinsic  value 
could  not  suggest  anything  in  this  case, — for  all  the 
silver  bars  that  ever  were  coined  on  earth  could 
not  have  purchased  the  appetites  which  made  the 
mouths  of  these  Norsemen  to  water,  as  they  gazed 
in  admiration  on  that  vast  hecatomb  of  splendid 
salmon  !  They  absolutely  danced  round  the  fish — 
it  might  almost  be  said  they  danced  with  them — in 
triumphant  glee ! 

"  Come,  come,"  cried  Karlsefin  loudly ;  "  to  work ! 
to  work  !  Ye  may  dance  after  that  is  done.  Here, 
sweep  this  pool  also." 

"With  a  cheer  the  men  ran  down  the  bank,  and 
little  Olaf  followed,  having  already  used  his  hook 
with  such  effect  that  he  had  pulled  six  large  fish 
out  of  various  holes  and  added  them  to  the  general 
pile. 

"  Take  care,  Olaf,  that  you  don't  fall  in  and  get 
drowned,"  cried  Biarne  as  he  ran  past. 

"Hurrah!"  shouted  Olaf,  with  a  flourish  of  his 


152        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

weapon,  which  made  the  narrowest  possible  miss  of 
deeking  Tyrker  by  the  nose. 

"  Have  a  care  ! "  roared  the  Turk. 

"  You  've  much  need  to  say  that,"  replied  Olaf, 
with  a  laugh,  for  Tyrker  at  that  moment  set  his 
heel  upon  a  salmon,  fell,  and  rolled  heavily  down 
the  bank.  But  Tyrker  was  tough.  He  rose  with  a 
growl  and  a  grin  and  ran  on  to  join  his  comrades. 

A  second  pool  was  netted,  and  with  the  like 
result.  As  the  net  was  being  dragged  forth,  Olaf 
saw  that  several  fish  had  escaped.  He  struck  in 
his  hook  at  random,  for  the  pools,  being  by  that 
time  a  thick  compound  of  mud  and  water,  could  not 
be  seen  into. 

"  Oh  !  I  Ve  got  him  ! "  he  shouted,  struggling 
with  the  handle  of  his  hook,  which  jerked  so  vio- 
lently that  the  sturdy  little  fellow  was  almost  thrown 
to  the  ground. 

"  Hold  on  !"  cried  Thorward,  running  to  his  aid. 

"Why,  Olaf,  what's  this?  Have  a  care.  Not 
too  fast.  There.  Hallo  ! — an  eel." 

And  so  it  was — an  enormous  eel,  that  went  twirl- 
ling  round  the  pole  in  wondrous  fashion  until  it 
freed  itself,  and,  after  twisting  round  the  limbs  of 
Olaf  and  Thorward,  who  in  vain  sought  to  hold  it 
fast,  made  off  over  the  wet  stones  as  if  they  were 
its  native  element,  and  slid  into  another  large  pool, 
where  it  disappeared. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  153 

"  Never  mind,  Olaf,"  cried  Thorward,  with  a  laugh, 
"  you  11  catch  hold  of  it  again.  Hook  away  at  it, 
lad.  Don't  give — " 

A  tremendous  shriek  arose  from  the  women  on 
the  bank  at  this  juncture. 

"  Oh  !  look !  look  at  Freydissa !"  cried  Gunhild, 
pointing  wildly  to  the  river  bed. 

And  there  Freydissa  stood — up  to  the  arm-pits 
in  mud  and  salmon  ! 

Whether  she  had  fallen  in  or  been  pushed  in  no 
one  could  tell,  but  unquestionably  she  was  in,  hav- 
ing gone  in,  too,  head-foremost,  so  that,  although 
she  had  struggled  right-end  up  she  reappeared  coated 
with  mud  to  an  extent  that  might  have  suggested  a 
sculptor's  clay  model — had  sculptors  been  known  to 
the  Norsemen  of  those  days. 

There  was  an  irresistible  roar  of  laughter  at  first, 
and  then  loud  expressions  of  condolence  and  sym- 
pathy, while  a  dozen  strong,  but  wet  and  dirty, 
hands  were  stretched  forth  to  the  rescue. 

"  Here,  lay  hold  of  my  hand,  poor  thing/'  cried 
Krake ;  "  there,  now,  don't  cry ;  it  would  only  be 
wasting  tears,  with  so  much  water  on  your  face 
already." 

If  anything  could  have  made  Freydissa  cry  it 
would  have  been  that  remark,  for  it  implied  that 
she  was  inclined  to  weep,  while  nothing  was  further 
from  her  thoughts  at  that  time. 


154  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST. 

She  did,  however,  grasp  Krake's  hand,  but  instead 
of  aiding  herself  by  it  to  get  out  of  the  hole,  she 
gave  it  such  a  vigorous  and  hearty  pull  that  Krake 
went  souse  into  the  mud  beside  her.  Before  he  could 
recover  himself  Freydissa  had  put  her  knee  on  his 
body,  and,  using  him  as  a  foot-rest,  thrust  him  deeper 
down  as  she  stepped  out. 

The  delight  with  which  this  was  hailed  is  beyond 
description,  and  many  a  year  passed  after  that  be- 
fore men  grew  tired  of  twitting  Krake  about  the 
pleasant  mud-bath  that  had  been  given  him  by 
Freydissa  on  the  occasion  of  the  celebrated  take  of 
salmon  at  Little  Eiver  in  Vinland. 


CHAPTEE   XII. 

SAGE  CONVERSE  BETWEEN  HAKE  AND  BERTHA— BIARNE  IS  OUTWITTED 
— A  MONSTER  IS  SLAIN,  AND  SAVAGES  APPEAR  ON  THE  SCENE. 

NOT  long  after  this  an  event  occurred  which 
produced  great  excitement  in  the  new  settlement  • 
namely,  the  appearance  of  natives  in  the  woods.  It 
occurred  under  the  following  circumstances. 

One  morning  Karlsefin  gave  orders  for  one  of  the 
exploring  parties  to  be  got  ready  to  go  out  immedi- 
ately. Karlsefin's  plan  from  the  beginning  had  been 
to  class  his  men  in  two  divisions.  One  half  stayed 
at  home  to  work,  the  other  half  searched  the  land, — 
always  taking  care,  however,  not  to  travel  so  far  but 
that  they  could  return  home  in  the  evening.  They 
were  careful  also  not  to  wander  far  from  each  other. 
Sometimes  Karlsefin  went  with  the  exploring  party, 
at  other  times  stayed  at  home  to  superintend  the 
work  there,  while  Biarne  or  Thorward  filled  his  place. 
On  the  occasion  in  question  Biarne  was  in  charge. 

Soon  after  the  party  had  started,  Hake,  who  was 
one  of  them,  observed  a  female  figure  disappear 
round  a  copse  near  the  shores  of  the  lake.  At  that 

155 


156  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

part  they  were  about  to  strike  off  into  the  thick 
woods,  so  Hake  went  up  to  Biarne  and  asked  leave 
to  go  along  by  the  borders  of  the  lake,  saying  that 
he  could  overtake  the  party  again  before  they  had 
reached  the  Willow  Glen,  a  well-known  rendezvous 
of  the  hunters  and  explorers  of  the  colony. 

"  Go  as  thou  wilt,  Hake,"  replied  Biarne  ;  "  only 
see  to  it  that  ye  overtake  us  before  noon,  as  I  intend 
to  go  on  a  totally  new  path  to-day." 

The  youth  left  with  a  light  step,  and,  on  overtak- 
ing the  female,  found,  as  he  had  expected,  that  it 
was  Bertha. 

"You  wander  far  from  home  to-day,"  he  said, 
with  a  deferential  salutation,  for  Hake's  bondage  had 
not  robbed  him  of  his  breeding. 

"  I  love  to  wander,"  answered  Bertha,  blushing. 

Poor  Bertha,  she  could  not  help  blushing.  It 
was  her  unfortunate  nature  to  do  so.  When  her 
feelings  were  touched — ever  so  little — she  blushed, 
and  then  she  blushed  "because  she  had  blushed,  and 
blushed  again  to  think  herself  so  silly ! 

"  I  fear  it  may  be  somewhat  dangerous  to  wander 
far,"  said  Hake,  stopping,  for  Bertha  had  stopped 
and  seated  herself  on  the  stump  of  a  fallen  tree. 

"  Dangerous !    Why  so  ?" 

"  Why,  because  Skraelingers  may  find  us  out  any 
day,  and  if  they  should  come  upon  you  unawares 
so  far  from  home  they  might  carry  you  off,  and  no 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  157 

one  would  be  aware  that  you  were  gone  until  too 
late  to  pursue." 

"  I  never  thought  of  that,"  returned  Bertha,  with 
a  slightly  troubled  look.  "Well,  I  shall  be  more 
careful  in  future.  But  how  come  you  to  be  wan- 
dering here  alone,  Hake  ?  did  I  not  hear  your  name 
called  this  morning  among  those  appointed  to  go 
forth  and  search  out  what  is  good  and  beautiful  and 
useful  in  the  land  ?" 

"  Most  true,  Bertha,  and  I  have  gone  forth,  and 
not  gone  far,  and  yet  have  found  something  both 
good  and  beautiful  and  useful  in  the  land." 

"  And  pray  what  may  that  be  ?"  asked  the  maiden, 
with  a  look  of  surprise. 

Hake  did  not  answer,  but  the  expression  of  his 
eyes  was  more  eloquent  than  speech. 

"  Nay,  then,"  said  Bertha,  looking  hastily  away, 
and  again  blushing — as  a  matter  of  course  !  "  I  am 
no  reader  of  riddles  ;  and  I  hate  riddles — they  per- 
plex me  so.  Besides,  I  never  could  find  them  out. 
But,  Hake,  has  your  party  gone  yet  ?" 

"  Yes,  some  time  ago." 

"  And  are  you  left  behind  ?" 

"  No,  I  have  leave  to  go  by  the  margin  of  the  lake." 

"  Then  if  you  put  off  time  talking  with  me  you 
will  not  find  it  easy  to  overtake  them  ;  but  I  forgot : 
I  suppose  you  count  it  an  easy  matter  to  overtake 
ordinary  men  ?" 


1  58  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"  I  shall  not  find  it  difficult/'  replied  the  youth 
briefly ;  and  then,  perceiving  that  Bertha  felt  un- 
easy— apparently  at  the  tenor  of  the  conversation 
— he  quietly  changed  it  by  remarking  that  he  pre- 
ferred to  walk  by  the  lake  for  several  reasons,  one 
of  which  was  that  it  reminded  him  of  Scotland. 

"Ah,  you  profess  to  love  Scotland  very  much,** 
said  Bertha  archly,  "but  your  brother  evidently 
loves  it  more  than  you  do." 

"  With  good  reason,  too/'  replied  Hake,  "  for  it 
has  given  him  a  bride,  and  it  had  no  such  favours 
for  me." 

"  Indeed !  what  is  her  name  ?"  asked  the  maiden, 
with  much  interest. 

"  Emma." 

"  Poor  Emma,"  sighed  Bertha ;  "  but  I  hope  that 
Heika  will  be  freed  one  day  and  return  to  his  native 
land  to  wed  Emma.  Perchance  by  that  time  Scot- 
land may  smile  upon  you  too,  and  give  you  cause  to 
love  it  better." 

"  I  love  it  well  already,"  said  Hake,  with  enthu- 
siasm, "  yet  am  I  content  to  stay  here." 

"  For  shame,  Hake !  you  do  not  deserve  to  be  a 
Scot  if  you  mean  what  you  say." 

"  I  mean  what  I  say,  yet  do  I  deserve  to  be  a  Scot." 

"  Come,  tell  me,  then,  what  this  Scotland  of  yours 
is  like.  I  suppose  you  deem  it  more  beautiful  than 
Iceland?" 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  159 

The  youth  smiled.  "It  is  not  more  wonderful 
than  Iceland.  I  can  say  that  with  truth — but  it  is 
passing  fair  to  look  upon.  It  is  a  land  of  mountain 
and  flood,  of  heath-clad  braes  and  grassy  knowes. 
Its  mountain  peaks  rise  bare  and  rugged  to  the 
skies,  where  lordly  eagles  soar.  Its  brawling  burns 
in  their  infancy  dash  down  these  rugged  steeps,  but 
as  they  grow  older  flow  on  through  many  a  hazel 
dell,  where  thrush  and  blackbird  fill  the  woods  with 
melody — through  many  flowering  pastures,  where 
cattle  browse  and  lambkins  skip  on  the  sunny  braes. 
Wild-fowl  breed  on  its  reedy  lochs,  and  moor-fowl 
dwell  on  its  heather  hills.  Its  waters  teem  with 
the  spotted  trout  and  the  royal  salmon.  Temperate 
breezes  fan  its  cheeks,  and  beauty,  in  form  and 
colour,  revels  everywhere.  Its  sons  are  lovers  of 
their  native  land,  and  its  daughters  are  wondrous 
fair." 

"  And  yet  it  would  seem,"  said  Bertha,  "  that  not 
one  is  fair  enough  for  you  ?" 

"Nay,  Bertha,  thy  speech  is  hardly  fair.  The 
heart  cannot  command  its  affection,"  said  Hake, 
with  a  smile,  "  but  I  regret  it  not." 

"And  where  does  Emma  dwell?"  asked  Bertha. 

"  Beside  my  father,  near  the  shores  of  Forth,  not 
far  from  a  noted  town  and  castle  that  stand  on  the 
summit  of  a  rocky  ridge.  It  is  named  after  Edwin, 
a  Northumbrian  king.  A  sweet. romantic  spot— my 


160        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

own  dear  native  town.  Beside  it  stands  a  mountain, 
which,  those  who  have  travelled  in  far  southern 
lands  tell  us,  bears  some  resemblance  to  a  couching 
lion.  But  I  never  saw  a  lion,  and  know  not  what 
truth  there  is  in  that." 

"You  almost  make  me  wish  to  see  that  land," 
said  Bertha,  with  a  sigh. 

"  I  would  you  might  see  it,  and  that  it  were  my 
fortune  to  show  it  to  you." 

"That  is  not  likely,"  said  Bertha,  with  a  little  laugh. 

"  I  know  not.  The  most  unlikely  things  happen, 
and  often  those  that  seem  most  likely  do  not  come 
to  pass.  What  more  unlikely  than  that  Karlsefin 
should  forsake  the  religion  of  his  fathers  ?  Yet 
Karlsefin  is  now  a  Christian." 

"  Do  you  know,  Hake,  much  about  the  nature  of 
this  new  religion  that  has  come  amongst  us,  and 
made  so  many  people  change  ?"  asked  Bertha,  with 
sudden  earnestness. 

"  To  say  truth  I  don't  know  much  about  it.  Only 
this  do  I  know,  that  Karlsefin  says  the  foundation 
of  it  is  God  and  man  united  in  Jesus  Christ,  and 
that  the  guiding  principle  of  it  is  love.  If  so,  it 
must  be  a  sweet  religion,  and,  as  far  as  Karlsefin  is 
concerned,  it  seems  both  good  and  true ;  but  there 
are  some  of  its  professors  whom  I  know  whose 
guiding  star  is  self— not  love — which  goes  rather 
agajnst  it,  rnethinks." 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  161 

"  You  do  not  reason  well,  Hake ;  that  is  against 
the  professors,  not  against  the  religion." 

"  True ;  but  this  religion  is  said  to  change  those 
who  profess  it — what  if  they  are  not  changed  ?" 

"  Why,  then,  they  axe  false  professors,"  said  Bertha, 
with  a  smile. 

"  It  may  be  so ;  I  know  not.  But  if  you  would 
have  further  light  on  the  point,  Karlsefin  will  gladly 
give  it  you." 

"  Well,  I  will  go  find  him  and  inquire,"  said 
Bertha,  rising ;  "  I  have  kept  you  too  long  already 
from  your  comrades. — Farewell" 

"  Farewell,  Bertha,"  replied  the  youth,  gazing  after 
her  as  she  tripped  lightly  away  and  disappeared  be- 
hind a  thicket.  Then,  turning  into  the  woods,  he 
went  off  at  his  utmost  speed  in  the  direction  of  the 
Willow  Glen. 

"  Just  in  time,  Hake,"  said  Biarne,  as  the  Scot 
approached ;  "  we  are  about  to  start  off  westward 
to-day,  and  go  as  far  inland  as  we  can  before  dark. 
I  have  long  had  a  desire  to  search  out  the  land  in 
that  direction.  From  the  distance  of  these  blue 
ridges,  the  size  of  our  lake  and  river,  and  other 
signs,  I  am  of  opinion  that  this  is  a  great  land — not 
an  island." 

"  It  may  be  so,"  replied  Hake,  looking  round  on 
the  vast  and  beautiful  landscape ;  "  I  should  like 
well  to  traverse  it.  If  a  thrall  may  be  permitted 
L 


162        THE  NOBSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

to  remark,  I  would  say  that  a  spirited  chief  would 
explore  somewhat  farther  than  a  day's  march  from 
home." 

"  Perchance  a  spirited  chief  might  see  fit  to  have 
his  homestead  put  well  in  order  before  undertaking 
explorations  for  his  amusement,"  replied  Biarne,  who 
was  not  much  pleased  with  Hake's  speech. 

The  Scot  made  no  answer,  and  after  that  the  party 
advanced  to  the  westward,  sometimes  clearing  their 
way  through  dense  thickets,  sometimes  walking  under 
the  branching  canopy  of  large  trees,  and  frequently 
coming  to  more  open  places,  in  many  of  which  there 
were  little  ponds  swarming  with  wild-fowl. 

Towards  the  afternoon  they  came  to  a  rocky  ridge 
which  was  crowned  with  trees.  On  the  other  side 
of  it  was  a  deep  gorge,  near  the  end  of  which  some 
large  animal  was  observed  sitting  on  its  haunches. 

"  Hist !  a  brown  bear ! "  whispered  Biarne. 

The  bear  looked  up  and  growled,  for  it  had  heard 
the  approach  of  the  party.  Nevertheless  it  appeared 
to  be  in  a  sluggish  as  well  as  a  sulky  humour,  for  it 
gave  no  indication  of  any  intention  either  to  attack 
or  run  away,  but  sat  still  on  its  haunches  swaying 
its  huge  head  and  shoulders  to  and  fro,  and  glower- 
ing— as  Krake  said — horribly. 

"  A  fierce  monster  truly  !"  observed  Hake,  fitting 
an  arrow  to  his  bow. 

Biarne  laid  his  hand  on  Hake's  arm. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  163 

"  Hast  seen  such  a  brute  before  ?"  he  inquired. 

"  Not  I,"  replied  Hake. 

"  Wouldst  like  to  see  how  the  Skraelingers  of 
Greenland  treat  the  white  bears  of  their  land,  when 
so  few  as  only  two  men  chance  to  meet  one  in  this 
fashion  ?" 

"  I  should  like  it  well." 

"  Good— I  will  show  you ;  but  first  I  must  ex- 
plain the  manner  of  it.  When  two  Skraelingers 
see  a  bear  they  go  up  to  him  with  spears.  On 
approaching  him  they  separate.  One  settles  that 
he  is  to  kill  him,  the  other  agrees  to  distract  his 
attention.  He  who  is  to  kill  approaches  on  the 
side  next  the  heart.  His  comrade  goes  up  and 
pricks  the  bear  on  the  other  side.  The  bear  turns 
full  on  him  who  wounds,  exposes  his  heart-side, 
and  is  instantly  thrust  through  by  him  who  is  to 
kill.  Dost  understand  ?" 

«  Perfectly,"  replied  Hake. 

"  Perhaps  you  would  like  to  join  me  in  such  an 
adventure,  though  of  course  there  is  some  danger," 
said  Biarne,  who  was  very  anxious  to  punish  Hake 
for  his  late  advice  by  giving  him  a  good  fright. 

Hake  smiled  in  a  grim  fashion,  and  taking  a  short 
spear  from  one  of  his  comrades,  looked  at  Biarne, 
pointed  to  the  bear,  and  said, 

"  Come  !"' 

They  advanced  together^  Biarne  also  carrying  a 


164        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

sliort  spear,  while  their  comrades  stood  on  the  ridge 
and  looked  on  with  much  interest. 

When  Bruin  saw  the  two  men  approach,  he  got 
up  and  showed  himself  to  be  an  uncommonly  large 
bear  indeed,  insomuch  that  Biarne  glanced  at  Hake 
with  some  anxiety,  and  asked  if  he  felt  sure  of 
himself,  and  wasn't  frightened. 

Hake  laughed  lightly,   but  made  no  other  re- 

pty- 

"  Well,  then,  have  a  care,  and  see  that  ye  be 
prompt  in  action.  I  will  go  to  the  left  side  and 
kill,  being  used  to  such  work  Do  you  separate 
from  me  here  and  give  him  the  prick  on  the  right 
side.  Don't  get  flurried.  We  must  approach  and 
act  together.  He  seems  inclined  to  meet  us  half- 
way, and  must  not  be  trifled  with ;  and,  harkee, 
prick  him  well,  for  methinks  his  hide  will  prove  a 
tough  one." 

Hake  nodded,  and  separated  from  his  companion. 
Seeing  this  the  bear  stopped.  It  had  been  advancing 
with  a  rapidly  increasing  step,  growling  all  the  way, 
and  with  an  extremely  savage  aspect,  but  this  move- 
ment of  the  enemy  perplexed  it.  Looking  first  on 
one  side,  and  then  on  the  other,  it  remained  in  a 
state  of  uncertainty  as  to  which  of  the  two  it  should 
attack.  The  enemy  took  advantage  of  this — both 
men  ran  in  upon  it.  As  they  did  so  the  bear  rose 
on  its  hind-legs,  still  glancing  savagely  from  one 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  165 

side  to  the  other,  and  in  this  position  appearing  a 
larger  monster  than  it  had  seemed  before. 

"  Give  it  him  sharply  !"  cried  Biarne,  delaying  his 
death-thrust  till  the  proper  time. 

Hake  stepped  close  up  to  the  bear,  and  plunged 
his  spear  into  its  side  with  such  vigorous  good-will 
that  it  went  straight  through  its  heart,  and  came  out 
at  the  other  side  just  under  the  shoulder. 

With  a  tremendous  roar  it  fell  and  writhed  on  the 
ground  in  a  dying  state,  while  a  loud  cheer  burst 
from  the  men  on  the  ridge. 

"  Why  did  ye  that  ?"  cried  Biarne  fiercely, 
stepping  up  to  Hake  as  though  he  would  strike 
him.  "  Was  it  not  arranged  that  I  should  kill 
him  ?" 

"  The  Fates  arranged  it  otherwise,"  answered  the 
Scot.  "  I  felt  afraid  that  my  fears  might  weaken 
my  arm.  To  make  sure,  I  gave  him  a  good  thrust. 
Besides,  did  you  not  tell  me  that  his  hide  was  tough, 
and  advise  me  to  prick  him  well  ?" 

Hake  looked  so  innocent,  and  spoke  so  gently, 
that  Biarne,  who  was  a  good-natured  fellow,  laughed 
in  spite  of  himself  as  he  said — 

"  Truly  thou  didst  prick  him  to  some  purpose. 
Well,  I  do  not  grudge  thee  the  honour,  and  unques- 
tionably it  was  deftly  done. — Here,  two  of  you,  stay 
behind  and  skin  this  fellow.  Cut  off  the  best  parts 
of  the  meat  also.  Bears  of  this  kind  are  not  bad  for 


160  TPIE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

food,  I  dare  say.  We  will  go  on  a  little  farther,  and 
return  to  you  in  a  short  time." 

Saying  this  Biarne  resumed  his  march,  followed 
by  the  rest  of  the  men. 

They  had  not  gone  far,  however,  when  one  of  the 
party  uttered  a  sudden  exclamation,  and  pointed  to 
footprints  on  a  soft  part  of  the  ground. 

"  Perhaps  the  bear's  footprints,"  said  one. 

"  Too  small  and  narrow  for  that,"  remarked  an- 
other. 

"  We  shall  trace  them  till  we  come  to  soft  ground 
and  make  certain,"  said  Biarne. 

They  did  so,  and  after  walking  a  hundred  yards 
or  so  came  to  a  sandy  place,  where  the  footprints 
were  so  clearly  denned  that  there  remained  no  doubt 
they  were  those  of  a  man.  That  the  marks  had  not 
been  made  by  any  wandering  member  of  their  own 
band,  was  evident  also  from  the  form  of  the  sole  of 
the  shoe,  as  indicated  by  the  prints. 

"  Now  must  we  be  ready  to  meet  with  men  who 
may  be  foes,  although  I  hope  they  shall  turn  out  to 
be  friends,"  said  Biarne.  "  Come,  Hake,  there  may 
be  need  for  haste,  therefore  do  you  hie  back  before 
us  and  inform  Karlsefin  what  we  have  seen.  We 
will  follow  as  swiftly  as  may  be,  and  fetch  your  bear 
along  with  us." 

Hake  started  off  at  a  smart  run  without  a  word 
of  reply,  and  never  paused  a  moment  until  he 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  167 

reached  the  hamlet,  which  he  found  in  a  consider- 
able state  of  confusion  and  excitement. 

"  What  now  ?"  demanded  Karlsefin  as  Hake  came 
forward. 

"  Strange  footprints  have  been  seen,  and— 
"  Strange  footprints ! "  exclaimed  Karlsefin.    "  Why, 
man,  strange  men  have  been  seen  by  us,  so  I  have 
stranger  news  to  tell  than  thou.     Biarne  is  return- 
ing, of  course  ?" 

"  He  is,  with  all  the  men,  as  fast  as  he  can." 
"  That  'a  well     Now,  Hake,  get  your  weapons 
ready  and  help  the  men  to  make  preparations  for 
the  reception  of  the  strangers.     I  go  to  set  the  ship 
in  order." 

Hake  found,  on  inquiry,  that  one  of  a  wood- 
cutting party  having  strayed  a  little  way  beyond 
his  fellows,  but  not  far  from  the  hamlet,  had  come 
suddenly  on  a  native  who  was  crouching  behind  a 
rock  and  gazing  intently  at  the  wood-cutters.  He 
was  at  the  moment  fitting  an  arrow  to  the  string  of 
a  short  bow  which  he  carried,  and  was  so  absorbed 
that  he  did  not  at  first  observe  the  Norseman.  The 
instant  he  saw  him,  however,  he  sprang  up  and 
discharged  an  arrow,  which  the  other  avoided.  The 
savage  immediately  turned  to  fly,  but  the  Norseman 
sprang  after  him  and  struck  him  to  the  ground.  At 
the  same  instant  a  dozen  or  more  savages  rushed 
from  the  woods  to  the  rescue,  and  the  Norseman 


168  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST. 

immediately  ran  back  to  his  comrades.  More  savages 
appeared,  and  the  Norsemen,  seeing  that  they  were 
greatly  outnumbered,  retreated  to  the  hamlet.  They 
were  not  followed  by  the  savages,  but  there  could  be 
no  doubt  that  now  the  colony  had  been  discovered 
they  were  certain  to  receive  a  visit  from  them. 
Whether  that  visit  was  likely  to  be  amicable  or 
otherwise  remained  to  be  seen. 

Meanwhile  Karlsefin  and  his  men  did  their  best 
to  put  the  place  in  a  state  of  defence.  A  breastwork 
of  large  trees,  which  had  been  long  ago  thrown  all 
round  the  hamlet,  was  repaired  and  strengthened 
before  dark,  and  sentinels  were  posted  around  in  all 
directions,  so  that  when  Biarne  arrived,  somewhat 
late  at  night,  he  was  amused  as  well  as  gratified  to 
find  that  unseen  though  well-known  voices  chal- 
lenged him  several  times  as  he  drew  near  home, 
and  that,  finally,  a  rude  but  effectual  barrier  stopped 
him  altogether,  until  a  friend  from  within  conducted 
him  to  the  proper  entrance. 

Thus  the  night  passed  away  without  anything 
transpiring,  and  at  last  the  longed-for  dawn  ap- 
peared. 


CHAPTEE  XIII. 

A  GREAT  BUT  COMPARATIVELY  BLOODLESS  FIGHT,  WHICH  ENDS 
PECULIARLY,  AND  WITH  SINGULAR  RESULTS. 

WHEN  the  sun  rose  above  the  trees  next  day, 
Karlsefin  began  to  think  that  the  natives  had  left 
the  place,  for  there  was  no  sign  of  them  anywhere, 
and  he  was  about  to  issue  from  behind  his  defences 
and  go  out  to  reconnoitre,  when  a  man  came  running 
from  the  ship  shouting  "  Skraelingers  !" 

It  is  probable  that  by  that  term  he  meant  savages 
generally,  because  the  men  who  had  been  seen  bore 
very  little  resemblance  to  the  hairy  savages  of 
Greenland.  They  were  taller,  though  not  stouter, 
and  clothed  in  well-dressed  skins  of  animals,  with 
many  bright  colours  about  them.  But  whatever 
they  were,  the  sensation  they  created  among  the 
Norsemen  was  considerable,  for  it  was  found,  on 
going  to  the  margin  of  the  lake,  that  they  were 
now  approaching  in  canoes  by  water.  This  at  once 
accounted  for  the  delay  in  their  appearance. 

That  their  intentions  were  hostile  was  plain  from 


170       THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

the  fact  that  the  canoes  came  on  abreast  of  each 
other  in  regular  order,  while  the  men  shouted  fiercely 
and  brandished  their  weapons.  There  could  not 
have  been  fewer  than  three  or  four  hundred  of 
them. 

Karlsefm  saw  at  once  that  his  only  chance  of 
saving  the  ship  was  to  go  on  board  of  it  and  fight 
on  the  water. 

"  Get  on  board  all  of  you,"  he  cried  to  those  who 
stood  beside  him.  "  Away,  Biarne,  Thorward,  call  in 
the  outposts  and  have  them  on  board  without  delay. 
Here,  Swend,  Heika,  Tyrker,  station  the  men  as 
they  arrive.  Get  up  the  war-screens  round  the 
sides  of  the  ship  ;  and,  harkee,  give  orders  that  the 
men  use  their  weapons  as  little  as  possible,  and 
spare  life.  I  shall  want  you  on  the  poop,  Hake. 
See  that  no  one  throws  down  the  gangway  or  loosens 
the  ropes  till  the  order  is  given.  I  will  see  to  the 
women. — Away ! " 

Each  man  ran  with  speed  to  obey,  for  the  case 
was  urgent. 

Karlsefin  found  the  women,  with  Olaf,  assembled 
in  the  large  house  waiting  for  orders. 

"  Come,"  he  cried ;  "  not  a  moment  to  be  lost. 
Give  me  your  hand,  Gudrid." 

He  seized  it  as  he  spoke,  and  hurried  down  to 
the  ship,  where  the  men  were  already  trooping  on 
board  as  fast  as  they  could.  The  women  were  soon 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  171 

put  under  cover  out  of  the  reach  of  missiles,  and  in 
a  few  minutes  more  all  were  on  board.  Of  course 
the  cattle,  and  live  stock  generally,  being  scattered 
about  the  hamlet,  were  left  to  their  fate.  Then  the 
ropes  were  cast  loose,  the  gangway  was  thrown 
down,  the  ship  was  pushed  out  into  the  bay,  and 
the  anchor  let  go. 

All  this  had  barely  been  accomplished  when  the 
canoes  came  sweeping  round  the  nearest  point  of 
land  and  made  straight  for  the  ship,  with  the  foam 
curling  at  their  bows. 

Then  Karlsefin's  voice  rose  loud  and  clear  as  he 
issued  his  final  commands. 

"  My  lads,"  he  cried,  "  remember  my  orders  about 
using  your  weapons  as  little  as  possible.  Be  careful 
to  throw  only  the  smaller  stones.  Kill  no  one  if 
you  can  avoid  it,  but  give  as  many  of  them  the 
toothache  as  you  can.  We  must  be  friends  with 
these  people  if  we  are  to  live  in  peace  here,  and 
that  won't  be  possible  if  we  kill  many  of  them." 

The  men  answered  with  a  great  shout,  mingled 
with  some  laughter,  which  latter  was  such  a  strange 
sound  to  hear  on  the  eve  of  an  engagement,  that  the 
savages  stopped  short  for  a  moment.  But  soon  they 
came  on  again  with  redoubled  impetuosity. 

No  sooner  were  they  within  range  than  the  Norse- 
men rose  up  in  a  body  and  hurled  a  shower  of  stones 
at  them.  They  were  evidently  not  prepared  for 


172        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

such  artillery,  for  they  again  stopped  short,  but 
after  a  brief  pause  once  more  advanced.  Three 
times  did  they  receive  a  shower  of  stones  before 
getting  alongside.  These  hurt  many,  but  disabled 
none,  for,  according  to  orders,  no  heavy  stones  were 
used.  When  within  a  few  yards  of  the  ship  the 
canoes  surrounded  her  and  lay  still  while  the  savages 
began  to  discharge  arrows  in  abundance.  The  Norse- 
men kept  well  behind  the  shields,  which  formed  a 
screen  round  the  ship,  and  replied  with  stones,  only 
a  few  of  the  best  marksmen  using  arrows,  when  they 
saw  a  chance  to  wound  without  killing  any  of  the 
foe 

Karlsefin  stood  exposed  on  the  high  poop  with 
Hake  and  Heika  beside  him.  All  three  wore  iron 
helmets,  and  the  leader  protected  himself  with  his 
shield.  Heika  devoted  his  attention  to  warding  off 
missiles  from  his  brother,  who,  having  to  use  his 
bow,  could  not  manage  a  shield. 

Presently  the  savages  made  a  grand  assault.  But 
the  moment  they  came  to  close  quarters  they  found 
that  they  had  to  cope  with  a  formidable  foe,  for 
the  Norsemen,  using  only  bludgeons,  knocked  them 
down  whenever  they  came  within  reach,  and  one  or 
two  of  the  boldest  among  them  who  succeeded  in 
clambering  up  the  sides  were  seized  by  the  legs  and 
arms  and  hurled  back  into  the  lake  as  if  they  had 
been  mere  puppets. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  173 

Thus  beaten  off  they  continued  the  arrow  shower, 
and  some  of  the  Norsemen  were  wounded. 

All  this  time  Karlsefin  stood  close  to  the  helm, 
looking  sharply  about  him,  and  whenever  he  saw  a 
savage  who  was  bolder  and  stouter  than  his  fellows, 
he  made  Hake  send  an  arrow  through  his  right 
hand.  In  this  way  most  of  the  best  men  among 
them  were  sent  off  howling  with  pain,  and  for  the 
time  disabled.  Suddenly  a  very  tall  active  savage 
succeeded  in  clambering  up  by  the  rudder  unob- 
served, and  leaping  on  the  poop,  stood  behind 
Karlsefin  with  uplifted  club.  Karlsefin,  without 
turning  quite  round,  gave  him  a  back -handed  slap 
under  the  left  ear  and  sent  him  flying  overboard. 
He  fell  into  a  canoe  in  his  descent  and  sank  it. 

At  this  juncture  a  number  of  the  canoes  were 
detached  from  the  fight,  and  Karlsefin  observed, 
with  much  anxiety,  that  the  savages  were  going  to 
ransack  the  houses. 

"  Would  that  I  were  on  shore  with  twenty  of  my 
best  men  ! "  he  said  bitterly.  "  Send  a  shaft,  Hake, 
at  yonder  fellow  who  leads.  It  is  out  of  range,  I 
fear,  but — ha!  well  hit!"  he  exclaimed,  on  seeing 
an  arrow  from  Hake's  prompt  hand  strike  the  man 
full  in  the  back.  The  savage  fell,  and  his  comrades 
crowded  round  him. 

By  that  time  others  of  the  canoes  had  put  ashore, 


174        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

and  their  owners  ran  up  to  the  crowd  who  sur- 
rounded the  fallen  leader. 

At  this  moment  an  incident  occurred  which  put 
a  most  unexpected  termination  to  the  fight. 

For  a  considerable  time  Olaf  's  huge  pet,  Blackie, 
had  viewed  the  fight  with  calm  indifference  from 
the  heart  of  a  thicket  close  by,  in  which  he  chanced 
to  be  cooling  himself  at  the  time.  Now,  it  hap- 
pened that  one  of  the  many  arrows  which  were  dis- 
charged by  the  savages  on  the  offshore  side  of  the 
ship  glanced  from  a  neighbouring  tree  and  hit  the 
bull  on  the  flank.  Associating  the  pain  resulting 
therefrom  with  the  group  of  savages  before  him, 
Blackie  at  once  elevated  his  tail,  lowered  his  head, 
and,  with  a  bellow  that  would  have  shamed  a  thou- 
sand trumpets,  charged  furiously  down  upon  the 
foe. 

Horror-struck  is  but  a  feeble  word  to  indicate  the 
feelings  of  that  foe !  Although,  no  doubt,  some  of 
them  might  have  heard  of,  perhaps  seen,  the  pon- 
derous and  comparatively  quiet  bison  of  the  Western 
prairies,  none  of  them  had  ever  imagined  anything 
so  awful  as  a  little  black  bull  with  tremendous 
horns,  blood-red  nostrils,  flashing  eyes,  and  cat-like 
activity.  One  awe-struck  look  they  gave  it,  an$ 
then  fled  howling  into  the  woods.  The  sounds 
.were  so  startling  that  those  of  the  enemy  still  round 
the  ship  were  panic-stricken  and  made  off  by  water 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  175 

as  fast  as  their  fellows  had  escaped  by  land,  leaving 
the  Norsemen  victorious ! 

"  Hurrah  for  Blackie  !"  shouted  Olaf,  who  was 
wild  with  excitement  and  delight. 

The  cheer  thus  claimed  was  given  with  intense 
enthusiasm,  and  then  the  ship  was  rowed  back  to 
the  shore. 

Here  a  great  prize  was  found,  in  the  shape  of 
twenty  canoes,  which  had  been  left  by  the  party 
that  had  fled  to  the  woods.  These  were  carried 
carefully  up  to  the  hamlet  and  placed  in  security. 
On  the  way  up  another  prize  was  found,  which  after- 
wards turned  out  to  be  of  the  utmost  importance. 
This  was  the  wounded  savage,  who  had  been  for- 
saken by  his  friends  when  the  bull  charged,  and 
who  only  escaped  from  the  horns  of  that  infuri- 
ated animal  by  lying  quite  motionless  beside  a  log 
which  fortunately  chanced  to  be  near  him. 

"  Take  care,  Krake  ;  lift  him  gently/'  said  Biarne, 
as  he  came  up  and  found  that  worthy  turning  the 
poor  savage  over  as  if  he  had  been  already  a  dead 
carcase.  "  Let  me  see  ;  the  arrow  does  not  seem  to 
have  gone  far  in.  He  "11  recover,  perhaps.  Come, 
Hake  and  Swend,  lift  his  shoulders,  and  run,  Olaf, 
tell  Astrid  or  one  of  the  other  women  to — ha ! 
Bertha,  well  met.  Here  is  a  subject  for  your  care. 
You  are  a  good  nurse,  I  'm  told/' 

"  I  try  to  be,"  replied  Bertha. 


176        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"  She  who  tries  to  be  is  sure  to  be,"  returned 
Biarne ;  "  nursing,  like  fighting,  is  an  art,  and  must 
be  acquired ;  though,  to  say  truth,  some  folk  seem 
born  to  learn  more  rapidly  than  others,  whether 
as  regards  nursing  or  fighting.  Have  the  poor 
fellow  into  the  house,  and  do  your  best  for  him, 
Bertha." 

While  this  was  being  said  the  native  was  lying 
on  his  back,  looking  very  stern,  but  pale.  It  is  pro- 
bable that  the  poor  wretch  expected  to  be  taken  off 
summarily  to  have  his  eyes  punched  out,  or  to  be 
roasted  alive, — for  the  natives  of  Vinland,  no  doubt, 
expected  from  their  foes,  in  those  days,  the  same 
treatment  that  they  accorded  to  them — although  the 
Saga  says  nothing  to  that  effect.  When,  therefore, 
he  was  put  into  a  comfortable  bed,  had  his  wound 
dressed,  and  an  agreeable  though  strange  drink 
given  to  him  by  the  fair  hands  of  Bertha,  the  ex- 
pression of  his  countenance  seemed  to  imply  that 
he  believed  himself  to  have  passed  from  earth  and 
got  into  the  happy  hunting-grounds  of  his  fathers. 
If  so,  the  increasing  pain  of  his  wound  must  have 
perplexed  him  not  a  little.  However,  it  is  due  to 
him  to  say  that  he  bore  his  surprises  and  pains 
with  the  uncomplaining  resignation  of  a  Stoic. 

Karlsefin  employed  the  remainder  of  that  day  in 
strengthening  his  defences  and  connecting  them  in 
such  a  way  with  that  part  of  the  shore  where  his 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  177 

vessel  lay,  that  there  would  be  no  possibility  of 
surrounding  him  in  the  event  of  future  hostilities. 

This  accomplished,  he  organized  his  men  into 
three  bands,  which  were  to  be  commanded  respec- 
tively by  Biarne,  Thorward,  and  himself.  These 
were  appointed  to  particular  localities  and  duties  in 
the  little  fortress — for  it  was  now  almost  entitled  to 
such  an  appellation.  When  night  drew  on,  sentinels 
were  posted  as  before.  But  there  was  no  alarm 
during  the  night.  The  savages  appeared  to  have 
had  enough  of  fighting  for  that  time,  and  next  morn- 
ing's sun  arose,  as  it  was  wont  to  do,  on  a  peaceful 
scene. 

"  Do  you  think  they  will  attack  us  again  ?"  asked 
Gudrid  as  she  sat  at  breakfast. 

"  I  think  not,"  replied  her  husband.  "  They  can- 
not but  know  that  we  are  troublesome  fellows  to 
deal  with,  even  when  taken  unawares." 

"  I  hope  they  won't  go  off  without  giving  us  a 
chance  to  show  that  we  desire  to  be  friendly," 
observed  Thorward. 

"No  fear  of  that/'  said  Biarne;  "we  have  got 
one  of  their  chiefs — at  least  I  think  he  is  so,  for 
he  looks  like  one — and  that  is  as  good  as  a  string 
tied  to  their  great  toe/' 

"By  the  way,  how  is  the  chief,  Bertha?"  asked 
Karlsefin. 

"  Much  better  this  morning.     He  slept  well,  and 

M 


178  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

is  even  now  sitting  up  on  his  bed.  He  looked  so 
well,  indeed,  that  I  took  the  precaution  to  fasten 
the  door  on  the  outside  when  I  left  him  just  now." 

"  Ha  !  Didst  fasten  the  window,  wench  ?"  cried 
Thorward,  starting  up  and  hastening  from  the  room. 

"  Truly,  no,"  remarked  the  girl,  with  a  somewhat 
confused  look ;  "  I  never  thought  of  the  window." 

Thorward  returned  a  minute  later  with  a  peculiar 
smile. 

"  He 's  all  safe,"  said  he ;  "I  peeped  through  a 
small  shot-hole  in  the  parchment,  and  saw  him 
sitting  there  meditating  as  deeply  as  if  he  hoped  to 
meditate  himself  out  of  his  prison." 

"  Not  a  difficult  thing  to  do  that,"  said  Karlsefin. 
"  I  suspect  that  most  prisoners  manage  to  free  them- 
selves in  that  way  pretty  often  !  But  who  comes 
here  in  such  hot  haste  ?  Why,  Swend,  what 's  i'  the 
wind  now  ?" 

"  The  Skraelingers  are  coming,"  said  he.  "  They 
come  unarmed,  and  only  ten  of  them." 

"  Oho  !  good,"  exclaimed  Karlsefin,  rising.  "  Come, 
methinks  I  see  my  way  out  of  this  difficulty.  Fetch 
me  nine  of  our  smartest  men,  Biarne.  I  will  go 
forth  with  them  unarmed,  to  meet  those  messengers 
of  peace.  You  and  Thorward  will  keep  the  de- 
fences, to  be  ready  for  any  emergency.  Let  the 
Scottish  brothers  be  among  the  nine." 

When  the   selected  men  had  assembled,  their 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  179 

leader  took  them  aside  and  conferred  with  them  for 
a  few  minutes,  after  which  he  led  them  towards 
that  part  of  the  defences  nearest  the  woods,  when 
they  saw  the  ten  natives  approaching  holding  up 
their  empty  hands  and  making  other  demonstrations 
of  a  peaceful  nature.  Far  away  on  the  heights  in 
the  background  the  whole  army  of  savages  could  he 
seen  watching  the  proceedings  of  their  messengers. 

When  these  latter  had  come  within  about  a  hun- 
dred yards  of  the  hamlet,  they  selected  a  low  grassy 
knoll  in  an  open  spot,  in  full  view  of  both  parties. 
Here  they  sat  down  in  a  row  and  made  signs  to  the 
Norsemen  to  approach. 

"  Now,  lads,  we  will  accept  their  invitation,"  said 
Karlsefin ;  "  follow  me." 

With  that  he  passed  through  the  opening  in  the 
defences,  holding  up  his  hands  as  he  went  to  show 
that  he  was  unarmed,  his  followers  doing  the  same. 
Karlsefin  went  up  to  the  native  who  appeared  to  be 
the  chief  of  the  band,  and,  with  a  bland  smile,  took 
his  hand  gently  and  shook  it. 

If  the  savage  did  not  understand  the  shake  of  the 
hand,  he  evidently  understood  the  smile,  for  he 
returned  it  and  sat  down  again.  Karlsefin  and  his 
men  did  the  same,  and  for  a  few  moments  the  two 
rows  of  men  sat  looking  benignantly  at  one  another 
in  silence.  The  savage  chief  then  spoke.  Of  course 
Karlsefin  shook  his  head  and  touched  his  ear,  brow, 


180         THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

and  lips,  by  way  of  intimating  that  lie  heard,  but 
could  neither  understand  nor  reply.  He  then  spoke 
Norse,  with  similar  results.  After  that  the  savage 
leader  rose  up,  touched  his  back,  and  fell  down  as  if 
badly  wounded.  Upon  this  one  of  his  comrades  rose, 
pointed  to  the  hamlet,  lifted  the  wounded  man  in 
his  arms,  carried  him  behind  his  companions,  and 
laid  him  down  exclaiming  "  Utway ! "  whereupon 
another  savage  took  a  small  bundle  of  beautiful 
furs  from  the  ground,  and  laid  them  at  the  feet 
of  Karlsefin  with  much  humility. 

"  Sure  he  wants  to  buy  back  the  wounded  chief 
with  these  furs,"  said  Krake,  who  found  it  difficult 
to  conceal  his  amusement  at  all  this  dumb  show. 

"  No  doubt  of  it,  and  I  suppose  Utway  is  his 
name,"  replied  Karlsefin ;  "  but  my  object  is  to  get 
them  inside  the  defences,  in  order  to  show  them 
that  when  we  have  them  in  our  power  we  will  treat 
them  well.  If  I  let  their  chief  go  for  these  furs 
nothing  will  have  been  gained/' 

Karlsefin  now  did  his  best,  by  means  of  signs  and 
encouraging  looks,  to  induce  the  ten  natives  to  enter 
the  hamlet,  but  no  persuasion  would  induce  them  to 
do  this.  They  held  stoutly  to  their  original  propo- 
sition, and  kept  constantly  pointing  to  the  bundle 
of  furs  and  going  through  the  pantomime  with  the 
wounded  man.  At  last  Karlsefin  appeared  to  agree 
.to  their  proposal. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  181 

"  Now,  Heika  and  Hake,"  said  he,  "  nothing  re- 
mains to  be  done  but  to  try  the  plan  I  have  de- 
scribed to  you.  Up,  and  bring  the  wounded  chief 
hither  without  delay." 

The  two  men  obeyed,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
were  seen  re-issuing  from  the  fortress  bearing  a  litter 
between  them,  on  which  lay  the  wounded  chief  with 
a  blanket  thrown  over  him,  only  his  head  being 
visible.  Carrying  him  towards  the  row  of  natives, 
the  brothers  laid  the  burden  at  their  feet  as  they 
sat  still  on  the  ground  looking  on  with  great  interest. 
Karlsefin  removed  the  blanket,  and  revealed  the 
chief  bound  hand  and  foot.  Something  covered  by 
another  blanket  lay  at  his  side.  Karlsefin  took  hold 
of  this.  As  he  did  so  the  Norsemen  rose.  The 
blanket  was  cast  off,  and  ten  naked  swords  were 
revealed,  which  were  instantly  grasped  by  ten  stal- 
wart arms,  and  flashed  with  the  speed  of  light  over 
the  ten  native  heads  ! 

Taken  thus  by  surprise  they  remained  seated^ 
and,  supposing  that  to  move  would  be  the  signal  for 
instant  death,  they  were  perfectly  motionless,  though 
the  colour  of  their  countenances  revealed  to  some 
extent  the  state  of  their  feelings. 

A  terrific  yell  from  the  distant  heights  told  that 
the  deed  had  been  noticed  and  understood.  It  was 
answered  by  a  shout  from  the  Norsemen  as  they 
issued  from  their  fortress,  secured  their  prisoners, 


182        THE  NOKSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

and  carried  them  within  the  defences.  In  a  few 
minutes  thereafter  not  a  man  was  to  be  seen  on  the 
heights,  and  the  region  became  as  silent  and  appa- 
rently as  deserted  as  it  had  been  before  the  advent 
of  the  savages. 

"  Now  then,  Biarne,  get  the  things  ready.  Is  the 
kettle  boiling?"  said  Karlsefin. 

"  All  is  prepared,"  answered  Biarne. 

"  'Tis  well.  We  must  carry  out  our  plan  as 
quickly  as  may  be,"  rejoined  Karlsefin.  "  We  may 
be  sure  that  these  fellows  have  only  retired  behind 
the  heights  to  hold  a  council  of  war,  and,  in  their 
present  humour,  it  won't  be  long  before  they  come 
on  to  make  an  effort  to  retaliate  upon  us  for  our 
supposed  treachery." 

The  ten  men  were  conveyed  to  the  largest  house 
in  the  hamlet,  and  there  ranged  in  a  row  against  the 
wall.  They  looked  very  grave,  but  were  firm  and 
stern.  Evidently  they  imagined  that  death  by  tor- 
ture was  to  be  their  doom,  and  had  braced  themselves 
up  to  die  like  brave  men  in  the  presence  of  their 
foes. 

Karlsefin  hastened  to  relieve  them  from  this  state 
of  mind  as  quickly  as  possible.  He  placed  before 
them  ten  plates  of  splendid  boiled  salmon.  They 
regarded  this  proceeding  with  some  surprise,  but 
shook  their  heads  and  refused  to  eat.  Doubtless 
their  appetites  were  not  good  at  the  time ! 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  183 

"  Fetch  the  wounded  chief  hither,"  said  Karlsefin, 
"  and  tell  Bertha  that  she  is  wanted." 

When  the  wounded  man  was  carried  in  and  seated 
opposite  to  his  comrades,  a  box  being  placed  for  him 
to  lean  against,  Karlsefin  said  to  Bertha — 

"  Now,  lass,  do  thy  best  to  induce  the  chief  to 
show  his  friends  how  to  eat.  He  has  had  some 
experience  of  you,  and  will  doubtless  understand." 

With  a  winning  smile  that  would  have  compelled 
any  susceptible  man  to  eat  or  drink,  or  do  anything 
else  that  he  was  bid  whether  inclined  or  not,  Bertha 
put  a  plate  of  salmon  before  the  chief  and  made 
signs  to  him  to  eat.  He  smiled  in  return,  and  began 
at  once.  Then  Bertha  patted  him  on  the  shoulder, 
pointed  to  the  ten  prisoners,  and  made  signs  again. 
The  chief  smiled  intelligently,  and  spoke  to  his  com- 
panions. He  evidently  said  more  than  was  neces- 
sary to  order  them  to  eat,  for  their  faces  brightened 
perceptibly,  and  they  commenced  dinner  in  these 
peculiar  circumstances  without  delay. 

It  was  clear  that  their  appetites  had  not  been 
much  impaired  by  alarm,  for  the  salmon  disappeared 
in  a  twinkling.  Then  Karlsefin  ordered  ten  plates 
of  fried  venison  to  be  placed  before  them,  which  was 
done,  and  they  applied  themselves  to  the  consumption 
of  this  with  equal  relish.  Having  concluded  the 
repast,  each  man  received  a  can  of  warm  water  and 
milk,  highly  sweetened  with  sugar.  At  first  they 


184:  THE  NOESEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

took  a  doubtful  sip  of  this,  and  looked  at  each  other 
in  surprise.  It  was  a  new  sensation  !  One  of  them 
smacked  his  lips ;  the  rest  said  "  Waugh  !"  nodded 
their  heads,  and  drained  their  cans  to  the  bottom  at 
a  single  draught ;  after  which,  observing  that  there 
was  some  sediment  left,  they  scraped  it  out  with 
their  fingers  and  sucked  them. 

"  So  far  that  is  satisfactory,"  said  Karlsefin,  with 
a  smile.  "  Now,  Biarne — the  gifts." 

A  wooden  tray  was  now  brought,  on  which  lay  a 
variety  of  silver  brooches,  rings,  and  other  baubles. 
These  were  distributed  to  the  prisoners.  Last  of 
all,  each  received  a  yard  of  bright- coloured  cloth, 
and  then  they  were  ordered  by  signs  to  rise. 

They  obeyed  with  alacrity,  and  were  led  out  of 
the  house,  at  the  door  of  which  they  found  a  litter 
similar  to  the  one  which  they  had  seen  before.  It 
was  simply  a  blanket  fastened  to  two  long  poles, 
and  rolled  round  them  so  as  to  form  a  couch  of 
about  a  yard  in  width.  On  this  the  wounded  chief 
was  laid,  and  two  of  the  natives  were  ordered  to 
grasp  the  ends  of  the  poles  and  raise  him.  They 
did  so,  and  were  conducted  by  the  Norsemen  in 
single  file  out  into  the  forest.  Here,  to  their  in- 
tense surprise,  Karlsefin  shook  hands  with  them  all 
very  kindly,  and  then,  going  back  with  his  men  to 
the  fortress,  left  them  to  return  to  their  kindred ! 

Karlsefin  remarked  quietly  to  Biarne,  as  he  went 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  185 

along,  that  one  of  the  precepts  of  the  new  religion, 
which  he  had  remembered  well,  because  it  seemed 
to  him  so  very  wise,  was,  that  men  should  always 
try  to  "  overcome  evil  with  good." 

Thus  was  established  a  warm  friendship  between 
the  natives  of  Vinland  and  the  Norsemen  ;  a  friend- 
ship which  might  have  lasted  for  ever — to  the  great 
modification,  no  doubt,  of  American  history — had 
not  unfortunate  circumstances  intervened  to  break 
it  up.  As  it  was,  it  lasted  for  a  considerable  time. 


CHAPTEE  XIV. 

THE  FIRST  AMERICAN  PUR  TRADERS— STRANGE  DEVICES— ANXIOUS 
TIMES  AND  PLEASANT  DISCOVERIES. 

THE  business  of  the  colony  progressed  admirably 
after  this.  A  large  house  was  erected,  with  a  central 
hall  and  numerous  sleeping-rooms  or  closets  off  it, 
where  all  the  chief  people  dwelt  together,  and  a 
number  of  the  men  messed  daily.  Grass  was  found 
in  abundance,  and  a  large  quantity  of  this  was 
cut  and  stacked  for  winter  use,  although  there  was 
good  reason  to  believe  that  the  winter  would  be  so 
mild  that  the  cattle  might  be  left  out  to  forage  for 
themselves.  Salmon  were  also  caught  in  great  num- 
bers, not  only  in  Little  Kiver  but  in  the  main  stream, 
and  in  the  lake  at  their  very  doors.  What  they  did 
not  consume  was  dried,  smoked,  and  stored.  Be- 
sides this,  a  large  quantity  of  fine  timber  was  felled, 
squared,  cut  into  lengths,  and  made  suitable  for  ex- 
portation. Eggs  were  found  on  the  islands  off-shore, 
and  feathers  collected,  so  that  early  in  the  summer 
they  had  more  than  enough  wherewith  to  load  the 
ship.  Among  other  discoveries  they  found  grain 


AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  187 

growing  wild.  The  Saga-writers  have  called  it  wheat, 
but  it  is  open  to  question  whether  it  was  not  wild 
rice,  of  which  large  quantities  grow  in  the  unin 
habited  parts  of  America  at  the  present  time.  They 
also  found  a  beautiful  kind  of  wood,  called  massur- 
wood,  of  which  samples  were  sent  to  Greenland  and 
Norway ;  but  what  this  wood  really  was  we  cannot  tell. 
Meanwhile  an  extensive  traffic  in  valuable  furs  was 
commenced  with  the  natives,  who  were  more  than 
satisfied  with  the  scraps  of  bright  cloth,  beads,  and 
other  trifling  ornaments  they  received  in  exchange 
for  them.  Some  of  the  natives  wanted  to  purchase 
weapons  with  their  furs,  but  Karlsefin  would  not 
allow  this.  At  first  the  Norsemen  gave  their  cloth 
and  other  wares  in  exchange  with  liberal  hand, 
cutting  the  bright  cloth  into  stripes  of  three  or 
four  inches  in  breadth ;  but  they  soon  found  that 
at  this  rate  their  supplies  would  become  exhausted 
too  early  in  the  year.  They  therefore  reduced  their 
prices,  and  began  to  give  stripes  of  cloth  only  two 
inches  in  width,  and  at  last  reduced  the  measure  to 
one  inch,  for  furs  that  had  previously  fetched  four. 
But  the  unsophisticated  natives  were  quite  content 
with  the  change,  and  appeared  to  enjoy  nothing  so 
much  as  to  twist  these  stripes  of  cloth  into  their 
long  black  hair. 

One  day  Karlsefin  said  to  Gudrid  that  he  had  a 
new  plan  in  his  head. 


188        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"What  is  that?"  said  she. 

"  I  think  that  our  goods  are  going  away  too  fast, 
so  I  mean  to  try  if  these  Skraelingers  will  give  their 
furs  for  dairy  produce.  We  have  a  good  deal  of 
that,  and  can  spare  some." 

"I  don't  know  how  Astrid  will  like  that,"  she 
said,  laughing.  "  You  know  she  has  charge  of  the 
dairy,  and  is  very  proud  of  it" 

"  That  is  well,  Gudrid,  for  Astrid  will  be  all  the 
more  pleased  to  have  her  produce  turned  to  such 
good  account.  Milk  is  pleasant  to  the  throat,  and 
cream  delights  the  tongue.  Methinks  these  fellows 
will  be  tempted  by  it." 

"Would  they  not  like  beer  better  ?" 

"  Beer  !"  cried  Karlsefin,  with  a  shout  of  laughter. 
"You  should  have  seen  the  faces  they  made,  and 
the  way  they  spat  it  out,  -  the  only  time  they  were 
asked  to  taste  it.  Biarne  was  very  keen  to  let  them 
try  it,  and  I  did  not  object,  for  I  partly  expected 
some  such  result.  No,  no,  a  man  must  learn  to  like 
beer.  Nature  teaches  him  to  like  milk.  But  go, 
tell  Astrid  to  fill  twenty  cans  with  milk,  and  twenty 
small  cups  with  good  cream.  Let  her  also  set  out 
twenty  cakes,  with  a  pat  of  fresh  butter  and  a  lump 
of  cheese  on  each.  Let  her  spread  all  on  the  table 
in  the  great  hall,  and  see  that  she  does  it  speedily. 
I  will  go  and  fetch  the  company  to  this  feast." 

He  left  the  room  as  he  spoke,  and  in  less  than 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  189 

an  hour  his  orders  had  been  executed.  When  he 
entered  the  hall  a  short  time  afterwards,  followed  by 
twenty  natives,  he  found  everything  prepared  accord- 
ing to  his  directions. 

That  he  was  correct  in  his  expectation  was  clearly 
proved  ere  many  minutes  had  passed,  for  the  twenty 
natives  raised  their  forty  eyes,  and  looked  on  each 
other  with  rapturous  delight  when  they  tasted  the 
good  things.  They  finished  them  in  a  twinkling, 
and  then  wished  for  more  ;  but  it  is  only  justice  to 
their  good-breeding  and  self-restraint  to  add  that 
they  did  not  ask  for  more  !  From  that  day  nothing 
would  please  them  but  that  they  should  have  dairy 
produce  for  their  furs. 

Some  time  after  this  Karlsefin  was  walking,  one 
afternoon,  on  the  shores  of  the  lake  with  Thorward. 
He  suddenly  asked  him  how  he  should  like  to  take 
a  trip  to  Greenland. 

"  I  should  like  it  well/'  replied  Thorward. 

"  Then  if  you  will  go  in  charge  of  the  Snake  I 
should  be  pleased,"  said  the  other,  "  for  we  have  col- 
lected more  than  enough  of  merchandise  to  fill  her, 
and  if  you  set  sail  at  once  you  will  have  time  to 
bring  back  a  cargo  of  such  things  as  we  need  before 
autumn  comes  to  an  end." 

"  I  will  go/'  said  Thorward,  "  to-morrow,  if  you 
choose." 

"  Nay,  not  quite  so  fast.     The  ship  is  only  half 


190        THE  NOESEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

loaded  yet ;  but  in  a  day  or  two  she  will  be  ready. 
There  are  two  things  I  am  anxious  you  should  man- 
age. One  is  to  persuade  Leif  Ericsson  to  come  and 
visit  us, — if  he  will  not  come  to  stay  with  us.  The 
other  is  to  tempt  as  many  married  men  as  you  can 
to  come  over  and  join  us — especially  those  men  who 
chance  to  have  a  good  many  daughters,  for  we  would 
be  the  better  of  a  few  more  busy  little  hands,  fair  faces, 
and  silvery  tones  in  this  beautiful  Vinland  of  ours." 

"  I  will  do  what  I  can,"  replied  Thorward,  "  and  I 
would  advise  that  Olaf  should  go  with  me,  that  his 
glowing  descriptions  may  tempt  his  father  to  come." 

"  Nay ;  that  would  spoil  all,"  objected  Karlsefin, 
"  for,  having  had  a  sight  of  his  son  he  would  be  con- 
tent to  let  him  come  back  alone.  No,  no ;  we  will 
keep  Olaf  here  as  a  bait  to  tempt  him.  But  go 
now  and  make  your  arrangements,  for  you  set  sail 
as  soon  as  the  ship  is  ready." 

Not  long  after  that  the  Snake  left  her  anchorage 
with  a  full  cargo,  rowed  down  the  river,  hoisted  sail, 
and  bore  away  for  Greenland. 

While  she  was  gone  an  event  of  deep  and  absorb- 
ing interest  occurred  in  Vinland. 

One  fine  morning  in  autumn  the  heart  of  the  entire 
hamlet  was  moved  by  the  sound  of  a  new  voice !  It 
was  not  a  musical  voice — rather  squawky,  indeed, 
tihan  otherwise — and  it  was  a  feeble  voice,  that  told 
of  utter  helplessness.  In  short,  a  son  had  been  bom 


OK  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  191 

to  Karlsefin  and  Gudrid,  and  they  called  him  Snorro. 
We  record  it  with  regret — for  it  went  a  long  way 
to  prove  that,  in  regard  to  sweet  sounds,  Karlsefin 
and  his  wife  were  destitute  of  taste.  It  is  our  busi- 
ness, however,  to  record  facts  rather  than  to  carp  at 
them,  therefore  we  let  Snorro  pass  without  further 
comment. 

The  little  body  that  was  attached  to  the  little 
voice,  although  far  from  beautiful  at  first,  was  an 
object  of  intense  affection  to  the  parents,  and  of 
regard,  almost  amounting  to  veneration,  to  the 
rugged  men  by  whom  it  was  surrounded.  Bertha 
declared  enthusiastically  that  it  was  "perfectly 
lovely,"  although  it  was  obvious  to  all  unprejudiced 
eyes  that  it  resembled  nothing  so  much  as  a  piece 
of  wrinkled  beef  of  bad  colour!  Astrid  declared 
that  it  had  "  such  a  wise  look,"  despite  the  evident 
fact  that  its  expression  was  little  short  of  idiotical ! 
Karlsefin  said  nothing,  but  he  smiled  a  good  deal, 
and  chucked  it  under  the  place  where  its  chin  ought 
to  have  been  with  his  great  fore-finger  in  a  timid 
way. 

But  when  Snorro  was  deemed  sufficiently  far 
advanced  in  life  to  be  handed  out  for  public  exhibi- 
tion, then  it  was  that  the  greatest  number  of  false- 
hoods were  uttered,  with  the  quietest  deliberation, 
although,  to  say  truth,  the  greater  number  of  the 
men  said  nothing,  but  contented  themselves  with 


192        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

taking  the  infant  in  their  big  rough  hands  as  deli- 
cately as  if  they  thought  it  was  a  bubble,  and  feared 
that  it  might  burst  and  leave  nothing  to  be  handed 
back  to  Thora,  who  acted  the  part  of  nurse.  Others 
merely  ventured  to  look  at  it  silently  with  their 
hairy  lips  parted  and  their  huge  eyes  gazing  in 
blank  admiration. 

Perhaps  Krake  made  the  most  original  remark  in 
reference  to  the  new  comer.  "Ah,"  said  he  quite 
seriously,  touching  its  cheek  as  softly  as  though  he 
half  feared  it  would  bite,  "  only  to  think  that  myself 
was  like  that  once  ! " 

This  was  received  with  a  shout  of  laughter  so 
loud  that  little  Snorro  was  startled. 

"  Ah,  then,"  cried  Krake,  with  a  look  of  great  alarm, 
"  what  is  it  going  to  do  ?  " 

This  question  was  occasioned  by  the  sudden 
change  on  the  infant's  countenance,  which  became, 
if  possible,  redder  than  before,  and  puckered  up 
into  such  a  complicated  series  of  wrinkles  that  all 
semblance  to  humanity  was  well-nigh  lost.  Sud- 
denly a  hole  opened  on  the  surface  and  a  feeble 
squall  came  forth ! 

"  Oh,  you  wicked  men !  "  cried  Thora,  snatching 
the  infant  indignantly  from  them  and  hurrying  back 
into  the  house. 

"  'Tis  a  sweet  child,"  observed  Swend  tenderly,  as 
he  and  his  comrades  sauntered  away. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  193 

"  You  must  have  a  good  opinion  of  yourself, 
Krake,"  said  Tyrker,  "  to  fancy  that  you  were  once 
like  it." 

"  So  I  have,"  replied  Krake.  "  It 's  what  my  father 
had  before  me.  It  lies  in  the  family,  you  see,  and 
with  good  reason  too,  for  we  were  the  best  of  com- 
pany, not  to  mention  fighting.  It  was  always  said 
that  we  were  uncommonly  fine  infants,  though  a 
trifle  big  and  noisy  for  the  peace  of  our  neighbour- 
hood— quite  like  Turks  in  that  way,  I  believe  ! " 

"  I  doubt  it  not,  Krake,"  said  Biarne,  who  came 
up  in  time  to  hear  the  concluding  remark ;  "  and 
since  you  are  such  a  noisy  fellow  I  am  going  to  send 
you  on  an  expedition  in  search  of  these  vines,  that 
seem  to  me  to  have  rooted  themselves  out  of  the 
land  and  fled,  from  mere  spite,  since  Leif  named  it 
Vinland.  There  is  but  one  quarter  that  I  can  think 
of  now  which  has  not  yet  been  explored ;  you  may 
take  a  party  of  men,  and  let  Tyrker  go  too  ;  as  he 
discovered  them  on  his  first  visit,  the  stupid  fellow 
ought  to  have  re-discovered  them  long  before  now. 
You  can  discuss  by  the  way  the  little  matter  you 
have  in  hand, — only  see  that  you  don't  fall  out 
about  it." 

Thus  instructed,  Krake  organized  a  party,  and 
set  off  to  search  for  the  celebrated  vines,  which,  as 
Biarne  said,  had  not  up  to  that  time  been  found. 

That  day  they  searched  far  and  wide  without  suc- 

N 


194  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

cess.  Then  they  sat  down  to  rest  and  eat.  While 
thus  engaged,  Krake  and  Tyrker  returned  to  the 
subject  of  the  reported  noisiness  of  Turks,  and  the 
former  became  so  caustic  in  his  jests  that  the 
irascible  little  Tyrker  lost  temper,  much  to  the 
amusement  of  his  comrades. 

After  refreshing  themselves,  the  explorers  again 
set  out  and  came  to  a  part  of  the  country  which 
was  broken  up  and  beautifully  diversified  by  rocky 
eminences  crowned  with  trees,  and  shady  hollows 
carpeted  with  wild  flowers.  It  was  difficult  here  to 
decide  as  to  which  of  the  innumerable  valleys  or 
hollows  they  should  traverse;  they  therefore  sat 
down  again  for  a  little  to  consult,  but  the  consulta- 
tion soon  became  a  discussion,  and  Krake,  whose 
spirit  of  fun  had  got  the  better  of  him,  gradually 
edged  the  talk  round  until  it  came  again,  quite  in  a 
natural  way,  to  the  Turks.  At  last  Tyrker  became 
so  angry  that  he  started  up,  declared  he  would  fol- 
low the  party  no  longer,  plunged  into  a  thicket  and 
disappeared. 

He  was  followed  by  a  shout  of  laughter,  and  then 
the  others,  rising,  resumed  their  search,  not  doubt- 
ing that  their  irate  companion  would  ere  long  rejoin 
them. 

But  Tyrker  did  not  join  them,  and  when  evening 
drew  on  apace  they  became  anxious,  gave  up  the 
search  for  vines,  and  went  about  looking  for  him. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  195 

At  last  it  became  too  dark  for  them  to  continue  the 
search,  and  they  were  obliged  to  return  home  with- 
out their  comrade. 

On  leaving  them  Tyrker  had  no  definite  idea 
what  he  meant  to  do  or  where  he  meant  to  go.  He 
just  walked  straight  before  him  in  high  dudgeon, 
taking  no  notice  of  the  route  by  which  he  journeyed, 
or  the  flight  of  time.  At  length  he  awoke  from  his 
absent  condition  of  mind  and  looked  up.  A  vast 
amphitheatre  of  wooded  hills  surrounded  him,  and 
there,  in  the  heart  of  a  secluded  dell,  under  a  clump 
of  trees,  were  the  long  sought  and  nmch-desired  vines ! 

For  some  time  Tyrker  stood  gazing  at  them  in 
silent  admiration  and  delight.  He  rubbed  his  eyes 
and  looked  again.  Yes  ;  there  could  be  no  question 
as  to  their  reality.  There  hung  the  rich  purple 
clusters  such  as  he  had  seen  on  his  first  visit  to 
Vinland,  and  such  as  he  had  been  wont  to  see  in  his 
own  land  in  days  long  gone  by.  He  pinched  him- 
self, pulled  his  hair,  punched  his  eyeballs,  but  no- 
all  that  failed  to  awaken  him  ;  from  which  circum- 
stance he  naturally  came  to  the  conclusion  that  he 
was  awake  already.  He  then  uttered  a  wild,  pro- 
bably a  Turkish,  cheer,  and  rushed  upon  the  spoil. 

Filling  both  hands  with  the  fruit  he  crammed 
his  mouth  full.  Then  he  raised  his  eyes  upwards 
in  ecstasy  and  did  it  again.  He  repeated  it !  After 
which  he  paused  to  sigh,  and  leaped  up  to  cheer  ard 


196  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

sat  down  again  to — guzzle  !  Pardon  the  word,  good 
reader,  it  is  appropriate,  for  there  is  no  disguising 
the  fact  that  Tyrker  was  a  tremendous  glutton,  and 
did  not  care  a  fig — or  a  grape — for  appearances. 

After  eating  for  a  long  time  he  was  satisfied  and 
sat  down  to  rest.  By  that  time  the  shades  of  even- 
ing were  falling.  They  proved  to  be  soporific,  for  he 
gradually  reclined  backwards  on  the  green  turf  and 
fell  asleep,  surrounded  by  and  partially  covered  with 
grapes,  like  a  drunken  and  disorderly  Bacchus. 

Now  Tyrker  was  a  man  in  robust  health ;  full  of 
energy  and  high  spirits.  Sleep  therefore  was  to  him 
a  process  which,  once  begun,  continued  till  morning. 
Even  the  puckered  little  Snorro  did  not  rest  more 
soundly  in  his  kneading-trough  crib  than  did 
Tyrker  on  the  greensward  under  his  vinous  canopy. 

When  next  he  opened  his  eyes,  groaned,  rolled 
over,  sat  up,  and  yawned,  the  sun  was  beginning  to 
peep  above  the  eastern  sea. 

"  Ho  !"  exclaimed  Tyrker.    "  I  have  forgot  myself." 

To  refresh  his  memory  he  scratched  his  head  and 
shook  it;  then  he  raised  his  eyes,  saw  the  grapes, 
leaped  up  and  burst  into  a  fit  of  joyous  laughter. 

Thereafter  he  again  sat  down  and  breakfasted, 
after  which  he  filled  his  cap,  his  wallet,  his  various 
pockets,  the  breast  of  his  coat — every  available 
compartment,  in  fact,  outside  as  well  as  in — with 
grapes,  and  hastened  homeward  at  his  utmost  speed 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  197 

in  order  to  communicate  the  joyful  news  to  his 
comrades. 

Now  the  disappearance  of  Tyrker  had  caused  no 
small  amount  of  anxiety  to  his  friends  at  the  ham- 
let, especially  to  Karlsefin,  who  was  very  fond  of  him, 
and  who  feared  that  his  strength  might  have  given 
way,  or  that  he  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  savages 
or  under  the  paws  of  bears.  He  sat  up  the  greater 
part  of  the  night  watching  and  hoping  for  his  re- 
turn, and  when  the  first  grey  light  of  dawn  appeared 
he  called  up  a  number  of  the  men,  and,  dividing  them 
into  several  bands,  organized  a  systematic  search. 

Placing  himself  at  the  head  of  one  band  he  went 
off  in  the  direction  in  which,  from  Krake's  account 
of  what  had  taken  place,  it  seemed  most  probable 
that  Tyrker  might  be  found.  They  advanced  so 
rapidly  that  when  the  sun  rose  they  had  got  to 
within  a  mile  or  so  of  the  spot  where  Krake  and  his 
party  had  given  up  their  search  on  the  previous 
evening.  Thus  it  came  to  pass  that  before  the  red 
sun  had  ascended  the  eastern  sky  by  much  more 
than  his  own  height,  Karlsefin  and  Tyrker  met  face 
to  face  in  a  narrow  gorge. 

They  stopped  and  gazed  at  each  other  for  a  few 
moments  in  silence,  Karlsefin  in  astonishment  as 
well — and  no  wonder,  for  the  figure  that  stood  before 
him  was  a  passing  strange  one.  To  behold  Tyrker 
thus  dishevelled  and  besmeared  was  surprising 


198        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

enough,  but  to  see  him  with  grapes  and  vine-leaves 
stuffed  all  about  him  and  twined  all  round  him 
was  absolutely  astounding.  His  behaviour  was 
little  less  so,  for,  clapping  his  hands  to  his  sides,  he 
shut  his  eyes,  opened  his  big  mouth,  and  burst  into 
an  uproarious  fit  of  laughter. 

The  men  who  came  up  at  that  moment  did  so  also 
for  laughter  is  catching. 

"  Why,  Tyrker,  where  have  you  been  ? "  demanded 
Karlsefin. 

"  Grapes  ! "  shouted  Tyrker,  and  laughed  again. 

"  Are  these  grapes  ? "  asked  Karlsefin,  regarding 
the  fruit  with  much  interest. 

"  Ay,  grapes  !  vines  !  Vinland  !  hurrah  ! " 

"  But  are  you  sure  ? " 

Instead  of  answering,  Tyrker  laughed  again  and 
began  to  talk,  as  he  always  did  when  greatly  moved, 
in  Turkish.  Altogether  he  was  so  much  excited  that 
Krake  said  he  was  certainly  drunk. 

"  Drunk ! "  exclaimed  Tyrker,  again  using  the 
Norse  language ;  "  no,  that  is  not  possible.  A  man 
could  not  get  drunk  on  grapes  if  he  were  to  eat  a 
ship- load  of  them.  I  am  only  joyful — happy,  happy 
as  I  can  be.  It  seems  as  if  rny  young  days  had  re- 
turned again  with  these  grapes.  I  am  drunk  with 
old  thoughts  and  memories.  I  am  back  again  in 
Turkey!" 

"  Ye  couldn't  be  in  a  worse  place  if  all  accounts 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  199 

be  true,"  said  Krake,  with  a  grin.  "  Come,  don't 
keep  all  the  grapes  to  yourself ;  let  us  taste  them." 

"  Ay,  let  us  taste  them,"  said  Karlsefin,  advanc- 
ing and  plucking  a  bunch  from  Tyrker's  shoulders. 

The  others  did  the  same,  tasted  them,  and  pro- 
nounced the  fruit  excellent. 

"  Now,  lads,  we  will  make  the  strong  drink  from 
the  grapes,"  said  Tyrker.  "  I  don't  know  quite  how 
to  do  it,  but  we  will  soon  find  out." 

"  That  you  certainly  shall  not  if  I  can  prevent  it," 
said  Karlsefin  firmly. 

Tyrker  looked  a  little  surprised,  and  asked  why 
not. 

"Because  if  the  effect  of  eating  grapes  is  so 
powerful,  drinking  the  strong  drink  of  the  grape 
must  be  dangerous.  "Why  do  you  wish  to  make 
it?" 

"Why?  because — because — it  does  make  one  so 
happy/' 

"  You  told  us  just  now,"  returned  Karlsefin,  "  that 
you  were  as  happy  as  you  could  be,  did  you  not? 
You  cannot  be  happier  than  that — therefore,  accord- 
ing to  your  own  showing,  Tyrker,  there  is  no  need  of 
strong  drink." 

"That's  for  you,"  whispered  Krake  to  Tyrker, 
with  a  wink,  as  he  poked  him  in  the  side.  "  Go  to 
sleep  upon  that  advice,  man,  and  it  '11  do  ye  good 
— if  it  don't  do  ye  harm  !" 


200        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST. 

"  Ease  Mm  of  part  of  his  load,  boys,  and  we  shall 
go  back  the  way  we  came  as  fast  as  may  be." 

Each  man  relieved  Tyrker  of  several  bunches  of 
grapes,  so  that  in  a  few  minutes  he  resumed  his 
own  ordinary  appearance.  They  then  retraced  their 
steps,  and  soon  afterwards  presented  to  the  women 
the  first  grapes  of  Vinland.  Karlsefin  carried  a 
chosen  bunch  to  Gudrid,  who,  after  thanking  him 
heartily,  stuffed  a  grape  into  the  hole  in  Snorro's 
puckered  visage  and  nearly  choked  him.  Thus  nar- 
rowly did  the  first  Yankee  (for  such  one  of  his  own 
countrymen  has  claimed  him  to  be)  escape  being 
killed  by  the  first-fruits  of  his  native  land ! 


CHAPTER  XV. 

GREENLAND  AGAIN — FLATFACE  TURNS  UP,  ALSO  THORWARD,  \VHO 
BECOMES  ELOQUENT  AND  SECURES  RECRUITS  FOR  VINLAND. 

WHO  lias  not  heard  of  that  solitary  step  which 
lies  between  the  sublime  and  the  ridiculous  ?  The 
very  question  may  seem  ridiculous.  And  who  has 
not,  at  one  period  or  another  of  life,  been  led  to  make 
comparisons  to  that  step  ?  Why  then  should  we 
hesitate  to  confess  that  the  step  in  question  has  been 
suggested  by  the  brevity  of  that  other  step  which 
lies  between  the  beautiful  and  the  plain,  the  luxu- 
riant and  the  barren,  the  fruitful  and  the  sterile — 
which  step  we  now  call  upon  the  reader  to  take,  by 
accompanying  us  from  Vinland's  shady  groves  to 
Greenland's  rocky  shores. 

Leif  Ericsson  is  there,  standing  on  the  end  of  the 
wharf  at  Brattalid — bold,  stalwart,  and  upright,  as 
he  was  when,  some  y$ars  before,  he  opened  up  the 
way  to  Vinland.  Flatface  the  Skraelinger  is  there 
too — stout,  hairy,  and  as  suggestive  of  a  frying-pan 
as  he  was  when,  on  murderous  deeds  intent,  not 

201 


202  THE  NOESEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

very  long  before,  he  had  led  his  hairy  friends  on  tip- 
toe to  the  confines  of  Brattalid,  and  was  made  almost 
to  leap  out  of  his  oily  skin  with  terror. 

But  his  terror  by  this  time  was  gone.  He  and 
the  Norsemen  had  been  reconciled,  very  much  to 
the  advantage  of  both,  and  his  tribe  was,  just  then, 
encamped  on  the  other  side  of  the  ridge. 

Leif  had  learned  a  little  of  the  Skraelinger  tongue ; 
Flatface  had  acquired  a  little  less  of  the  Norse  lan- 
guage— and  a  pretty  mess  they  made  of  it  between 
them !  As  we  are  under  the  necessity  of  rendering 
both  into  English,  we  beg  the  reader's  forbearance 

and  consideration. 

* 

"  So  you  are  going  off  on  a  sealing  expedition,  are 
you?"  said  Leif,  turning  from  the  contemplation  of 
the  horizon,  and  regarding  the  Skraelinger  with  a 
comical  smile. 

"  Yis,  yo,  ha,  hooroo  !"  said  Flatface,  waving  his 
arms  violently  to  add  force  to  his  reply. 

"  And  when  do  you  go  ?"  asked  Leif. 

"  Wen.  ?    E  go  skrumch  en  cracker  smorrow." 

"  Just  so,"  replied  Leif,  "  only  I  can't  quite  make 
that  cracker  out  unless  you  mean  to-morrow" 

"  Yis,  yo,  ha !"  exclaimed  the  hairy  man.  "  Kite 
right,  kite  right,  smorrow,  yis,  to-morrow." 

"  You  're  a  wonderful  man/'  remarked  Leif,  with 
a  smile.  "  You  11  speak  Norse  like  a  Norseman  if 
you  live  long  enough/' 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  203 

"  Eh ! "  exclaimed  the  Skraelinger,  with  a  per- 
plexed look. 

"  When  are  you  to  be  back  ?"  asked  Leif. 

Flatface  immediately  pointed  to  the  moon,  which, 
although  it  was  broad  daylight  at  the  time,  showed 
a  remarkably  white  face  in  the  blue  sky,  and,  doub- 
ling his  fist,  hit  himself  four  blows  on  the  bridge  of 
his  nose,  or  rather  on  the  spot  where  the  bridge  of 
that  feature  should  have  been,  but  where,  as  it  hap- 
pened, there  was  only  a  hollow  in  the  frying-pan, 
with  a  little  blob  below  it. 

"  Ha,  four  months.  Very  good.  It  will  be  a 
good  riddance ;  for,  to  say  truth,  I  'm  tired  of  you 
and  your  noisy  relations." 

Leif  said  this  more  as  a  soliloquy  than  a  remark, 
for  he  had  no  intention  of  hurting  the  feelings  of  the 
poor  savage,  who,  he  was  aware,  could  not  under- 
stand him.  Turning  again  to  him,  he  said — 

"You  know  the  kitchen,  Flatface  ?" 

Flatface  said  nothing,  but  rolled  his  eyes,  nodded 
violently,  and  rubbed  that  region  which  is  chiefly 
concerned  with  food. 

"  Go,"  said  Leif,  "  tell  Anders  to  give  you  food — 
-food— food  !" 

At  each  mention  of  the  word  Flatface  retreated  a 
step  and  nodded.  When  Leif  stopped  he  turned 
about,  and  with  an  exclamation  of  delight,  trundled 
off  to  the  kitchen  like  a  good-natured  polar  bear. 


204  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

For  full  half  an  hour  after  that  Leif  walked  up 
and  down  the  wharf  with  his  eyes  cast  down ;  evi- 
dently he  was  brooding  over  something.  Presently 
Anders  came  towards  him. 

Anders  was  a  burly  middle-aged  Norseman,  with 
a  happy-looking  countenance ;  he  was  also  cook, 
steward,  valet,  and  general  factotum  to  Leif. 

"  Well,  Anders,  hast  had  a  visit  from  Flatface  ?" 
asked  Leif. 

"Ay — he  is  in  the  kitchen  now." 

«  Hast  fed  him  ?" 

"  Ay,  gorged  him,"  replied  Anders,  with  a  grin. 

"  Good,"  said  Leif,  laughing ;  "  he  goes  off  to- 
morrow, it  seems,  for  four  months,  which  I  'm  right 
glad  to  hear,  for  we  have  had  him  and  his  kindred 
long  enough  beside  us  for  this  time.  I  am  sorry  on 
account  of  the  Christian  teachers,  however,  because 
they  were  making  some  progress  with  the  language, 
and  this  will  throw  them  back." 

Leif  here  referred  to  men  who  had  recently  been 
sent  to  Greenland  by  King  Olaf  Tryggvisson  of  Nor- 
way, with  the  design  of  planting  Christianity  there, 
and  some  of  whom  appeared  to  be  very  anxious  to 
acquire  the  language  of  the  natives.  Leif  himself 
had  kept  somewhat  aloof  from  these  teachers  of  the 
new  faith.  He  had  indeed  suffered  himself  to  be  bap- 
tized, when  on  a  visit  to  Norway,  in  order  to  please 
the  King ;  but  he  was  a  very  reserved  man,  and  no 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  205 

one  knew  exactly  what  opinions  he  held  in  regard  to 
religion.  Of  course  he  had  been  originally  trained 
in  the  Odin-worship  of  his  forefathers,  but  he  was  a 
remarkably  shrewd  man,  and  people  said  that  he  did 
not  hold  by  it  very  strongly.  No  one  ever  ventured 
to  ask  him  what  he  held  until  the  teachers  above 
mentioned  came.  When  they  tried  to  find  out  his 
opinions  he  quietly,  and  with  much  urbanity,  asked 
to  be  informed  as  to  some  of  the  details  of  that 
which  they  had  come  to  teach,  and  so  managed  the 
conversation  that,  without  hurting  their  feelings, 
he  sent  them  away  from  him  as  wise  as  they  came. 
But  although  Leif  was  silent  he  was  very  observant, 
and  people  said  that  he  noted  what  was  going  on 
keenly — which  was  indeed  the  case. 

"  I  know  not  what  the  teachers  think,"  said 
Anders,  with  a  careless  air,  "  but  it  is  my  opinion 
that  they  won't  make  much  of  the  Skraelingers,  and 
the  Skraelingers  are  not  worth  making  much  of." 

"  There  thou  art  wrong,  Anders,"  said  Leif,  with 
much  gravity ;  "  does  not  Flatface  love  his  wife  and 
children  as  much  as  you  love  yours?" 

"  I  suppose  he  does." 

"  Is  not  his  flesh  and  blood  the  same  as  thine,  his 
body  as  well  knit  together  as  thine,  and  as  well 
suited  to  its  purposes  ?" 

"  Doubtless  it  is,  though  somewhat  uglier." 

"  Does  he  not  support  his  family  as  well  as  thou 


206  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

dost,  and  labour  more  severely  than  thou  for  that 
purpose  ?  Is  he  not  a  better  hunter,  too,  and  a 
faster  walker,  and  fully  as  much  thought  of  and 
prized  by  his  kindred?" 

"  All  that  may  be  very  true,"  replied  Anders 
carelessly. 

"  Then,"  pursued  Leif,  "  if  the  Skraelingers  be 
apparently  as  good  as  thou  art,  how  can  ye  say  that 
they  are  not  worth  making  much  of?" 

"  Truly,  on  the  same  ground  that  I  say  that  I 
myself  am  not  worth  making  much  of.  I  neither 
know  nor  care  anything  about  the  matter.  Only 
this  am  I  sure  of,  that  the  Skraelingers  do  not  serve 
you,  master,  as  well  as  I  do." 

"Anders,  thou  art  incorrigible  !"  said  Leif,  smiling ; 
"  but  I  admit  the  truth  of  your  last  remark ;  so 
now,  if  ye  will  come  up  to  the  house  and  do  for  me, 
to  some  extent,  what  ye  have  just  done  to  Flatface, 
ye  will  add  greatly  to  the  service  of  which  thou  hast 
spoken." 

"  I  follow,  master,"  said  Anders ;  "  but  would  it 
not  be  well,  first,  to  wait  and  see  which  of  our 
people  are  returning  to  us,  for,  if  I  mistake  not, 
yonder  is  a  boat's  sail  coming  round  the  ness." 

"  A  loafs  sail !"  exclaimed  Leif  eagerly,  as  he 
gazed  at  the  sail  in  question ;  "  why,  man,  if  your 
eyes  were  as  good  as  those  of  Flatface,  ye  would 
have  seen  that  yonder  sail  belongs  to  a  ship.  My 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  207 

own  eyes  have  been  turned  inward  the  last  half 
hour,  else  must  I  have  observed  it  sooner." 

"  It  seems  to  me  but  a  boat,"  said  Anders. 

"  I  tell  thee  it  is  a  ship  !"  cried  Leif ;  "  ay,  and  if 
my  eyes  do  not  deceive,  it  is  the  ship  of  Karlsefin. 
Go,  call  out  the  people  quickly,  and  see  that  they 
come  armed.  There  is  no  saying  who  may  be  in 
possession  of  the  ship  now." 

Anders  hastened  away,  and  Leif,  after  gazing  at 
the  approaching  vessel  a  little  longer,  walked  up  to 
the  house,  where  some  of  his  house-carls  were  hastily 
arming,  and  where  he  received  from  the  hands  of  an 
old  female  servant  his  sword,  helmet,  and  shield. 

The  people  of  Brattalid  were  soon  all  assembled 
on  the  shore,  anxiously  awaiting  the  arrival  of  the 
ship,  and  an  active  boy  was  sent  round  to  Heriulf- 
ness,  to  convey  the  news  to  the  people  there — for 
in  Greenland  the  arrival  of  a  ship  was  of  rare  occur- 
rence in  those  days. 

As  the  ship  drew  near,  all  doubt  as  to  her  being 
Karlsefin's  vessel  was  removed,  and,  when  she  came 
close  to  land,  great  was  the  anxiety  of  the  people  to 
make  out  the  faces  that  appeared  above  the  bul- 
warks. 

"  That  is  Karlsefin,"  said  one.  "  I  know  his  form 
of  face  well." 

"  No,  it  is  Biarne,"  cried  another.  "  Karlsefin  is 
taller  by  half  a  foot." 


208  THE  NOESEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"  'Tis  Thorward,"  said  a  third.  "  I'd  know  his 
face  among  a  thousand." 

"  There  seem  to  be  no  women  with  them,"  ob- 
served Anders,  who  stood  at  the  end  of  the  wharf 
near  his  master.  t 

"  Does  any  one  see  Olaf  ?"  asked  Leif. 

"  No — no,"  replied  several  voices. 

When  the  ship  was  near  enough  Leif  shouted — 
"Is  Olaf  onboard?" 

"  No  !"  replied  Thorward,  in  a  stentorian  voice. 

Leif's  countenance  fell 

«  Is  all  well  in  Vinland  ?"  he  shouted. 

"  All  is  well,"  was  the  reply. 

Leif's  countenance  brightened,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  he  was  shaking  Thorward  heartily  by  the 
hand. 

"  Why  did  ye  not  bring  my  son  ?"  said  Leif,  some- 
what reproachfully,  as  they  went  up  to  the  house 
together. 

"  We  thought  it  best  to  try  to  induce  you  to  go 
to  him  rather  than  bring  him  to  you,"  answered 
Thorward,  smiling.  "  You  must  come  back  with  me, 
Leif.  You  cannot  conceive  what  a  splendid  country 
it  is.  It  far  surpasses  Iceland  and  Norway.  As  to 
Greenland,  it  should  not  be  named  in  the  same 
breath." 

Leif  made  no  reply  at  that  time,  but  seemed  to 
ponder  the  proposal 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  209 

'•  Now  we  shall  feast,  Thorward,"  said  Leif,  as  he 
entered  the  hall.  "  Ho  !  lay  the  tables,  good  woman. — 
Come,  Anders,  see  that  ye  load  it  well.  Have  all  the 
housecarls  gathered ;  I  will  go  fetch  in  our  neigh- 
bours, and  we  shall  hear  what  Thorward  has  to  say 
of  this  Vinland  that  we  have  heard  so  much  about 
of  late." 

Leif 's  instructions  were  promptly  and  energetically 
carried  out.  The  tables  were  spread  with  all  the 
delicacies  of  the  season  that  Greenland  had  to  boast 
of,  which  consisted  chiefly  of  fish  and  wild-fowl, 
with  seal's  flesh  instead  of  beef,  for  nearly  all  the 
cattle  had  been  carried  off  by  the  emigrants,  as  we 
have  seen,  and  the  few  that  were  left  behind  had 
died  for  want  of  proper  food.  The  banquet  was 
largely  improved  by  Thorward,  who  loaded  the 
table  with  smoked  salmon.  After  the  dishes  had 
been  removed  and  the  tankards  of  beer  sent  round, 
Thorward  began  to  relate  his  story  to  greedy  ears. 

He  was  very  graphic  in  his  descriptions,  and 
possessed  the  power  of  detailing  even  commonplace 
conversations  in  such  a  way  that  they  became  in- 
teresting. He  had  a  great  deal  of  quiet  humour, 
too,  which  frequently  convulsed  his  hearers  with 
laughter.  In  short,  he  gave  such  a  fascinating 
account  of  the  new  land,  that  when  the  people 
retired  to  rest  that  night,  there  was  scarcely  a  man, 
woman,  or  child  among  them  who  did  not  long  to 
o 


210  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST. 

emigrate  without  delay.  This  was  just  what  Thor- 
ward  desired. 

Next  day  he  unloaded  the  ship,  and  the  sight  of 
her  cargo  fully  confirmed  many  parts  of  his  story. 
The  upshot  of  it  was  that  Leif  agreed  to  go  and 
spend  the  winter  in  Vinland,  and  a  considerable 
number  of  married  men  made  up  their  minds  to 
emigrate  with  their  wives  and  families. 

Having  discharged  cargo  and  taken  in  a  large 
supply  of  such  goods  as  were  most  needed  at  the 
new  colony,  Thorward  prepared  for  sea.  Leif  placed 
Anders  in  charge  of  his  establishment,  and,  about 
grey  dawn  of  a  beautiful  morning,  the  Snake  once 
again  shook  out  her  square-sail  to  the  breeze  and 
set  sail  for  Vinland. 


CHAPTEE  XVI. 

JOYFUL  MEETINGS  AND  HEARTY  GREETINGS. 

NEED  we  attempt  to  describe  the  joy  of  our  friends 
in  Vinland,  when,  one  afternoon  towards  the  end  of 
autumn,  they  saw  their  old  ship  sweep  into  the  lake 
under  oars  and  sail,  and  east  anchor  in  the  bay  ?  We 
think  not. 

The  reader  must  possess  but  a  small  power  of 
fancy  who  cannot,  without  the  aid  of  description, 
call  up  vividly  the  gladsome  faces  of  men  and  women 
when  they  saw  the  familiar  vessel  appear,  and  beheld 
the  bulwarks  crowded  with  well-known  faces.  Be- 
sides, words  cannot  paint  Olaf 's  sparkling  eyes,  and 
the  scream  of  delight  when  he  recognised  his  father 
standing  in  sedate  gravity  on  the  poop. 

Suffice  it  to  say  that  the  joy  culminated  at  night, 
as  human  joys  not  unfrequently  do,  in  a  feast,  at 
which,  as  a  matter  of  course,  the  whole  story  of  the 
arrival  and  settlement  in  Vinland  was  told  over 
again  to  the  new-comers,  as  if  it  had  never  been 
told  before.  But  there  was  this  advantage  in  the 


212        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

telling,  that  instead  of  all  being  told  by  Thorward, 
each  man  gave  his  own  version  of  his  own  doings, 
or,  at  all  events,  delegated  the  telling  to  a  friend 
who  was  likely  to  do  him  justice.  Sometimes  one 
or  another  undertook  that  friendly  act,  without 
having  it  laid  upon  him.  Thus,  Krake  undertook 
to  relate  the  discovery  of  the  grapes  by  Tyrker,  and 
Tyrker  retaliated  by  giving  an  account  of  the  acci- 
dent in  connexion  with  a  mud-hole  that  had  hap- 
pened to  Krake.  This  brought  out  Biarne,  who 
went  into  a  still  more  minute  account  of  that  event 
with  reference  to  its  bearing  on  Freydissa,  and  that 
gentle  woman  revenged  herself  by  giving  an  account 
of  the  manner  in  which  Hake  had  robbed  Biarne  of 
the  honour  of  killing  a  brown  bear,  the  mention  of 
which  ferocious  animal  naturally  suggested  to  Olaf 
the  brave  deed  of  his  dear  pet  the  black  bull,  to  a 
narrative  of  which  he  craved  and  obtained  attention. 
From  the  black  bull  to  the  baby  was  an  easy  and 
natural  transition — more  so  perhaps  than  may  ap- 
pear at  first  sight — for  the  bull  suggested  the  cows, 
and  the  cows  the  milk,  which  last  naturally  led  to 
thoughts  of  the  great  consumer  thereof. 

It  is  right  to  say  here,  however,  that  the  baby  was 
among  the  first  objects  presented  to  Leif  and  his 
friends  after  their  arrival ;  and  great  was  the  interest 
with  which  they  viewed  this  first-born  of  the  Ameri- 
can land.  The  wrinkles,  by  the  way,  were  gone  by 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  213 

that  time.  They  had  been  filled  up  so  completely 
that  the  place  where  they  once  were  resembled  a  fair 
and  smooth  round  ball  of  fresh  butter,  with  two 
bright  blue  holes  in  it,  a  knob  below  them,  and  a 
ripe  cherry  underneath  that. 

Snorro  happened  to  be  particularly  amiable  when 
first  presented  to  his  new  friends.  Of  course  he 
had  not  at  that  time  reached  the  crowing  or  smiling 
age.  His  goodness  as  yet  was  negative.  He  did 
not  squall ;  he  did  not  screw  up  his  face  into  incon- 
ceivable formations ;  he  did  not  grow  alarmingly 
red  in  the  face ;  he  did  not  insist  on  having  milk, 
seeing  that  he  had  already  had  as  much  as  he  could 
possibly  hold — no,  he  did  none  of  these  things,  but 
lay  in  Gudrid's  arms,  the  very  embodiment  of  stolid 
and  expressionless  indifference  to  all  earthly  things 
— those  who  loved  him  best  included. 

But  this  state  of  "goodness"  did  not  last  long. 
He  soon  began  to  display  what  may  be  styled  the 
old-Adamic  part  of  his  nature,  and  induced  Leif, 
after  much  long-suffering,  to  suggest  that  "that 
would  do,"  and  that  "  he  had  better  be  taken 
away  !" 

The  effervescence  of  the  colony  caused  by  this  in- 
fusion of  new  elements  ere  long  settled  down.  The 
immigrants  took  part  in  the  general  labour  and  duties. 
Timber-cutting,  grape-gathering,  hay-making,  fishing, 
hunting,  exploring,  eating,  drinking,  and  sleeping, 


214  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

went  on  with  unabated  vigour,  and  thus,  gradually, 
autumn  merged  into  winter. 

But  winter  did  not  bring  in  its  train  the  total 
change  that  these  Norsemen  had  been  accustomed 
to  in  their  more  northern  homes.  The  season  was 
to  them  comparatively  mild.  True,  there  was  a 
good  deal  of  snow,  and  it  frequently  gave  to  the 
branches  of  the  trees  that  silvery  coating  which,  in 
sunshine,  converts  the  winter  forest  into  the  very 
realms  of  fairyland ;  but  the  snow  did  not  lie  deep 
on  the  ground,  or  prevent  the  cattle  from  remaining 
out  and  finding  food  all  the  winter.  There  was  ice, 
also,  on  the  lake,  thick  enough  to  admit  of  walking 
on  it,  and  sledging  with  ponies,  but  not  thick  enough 
to  prevent  them  cutting  easily  through  it,  and  fish- 
ing with  lines  and  hooks,  made  of  bone  and  baited 
with  bits  of  fat,  with  which  they  caught  enormous 
trout,  little  short  of  salmon  in  size,  and  quite  as 
good  for  food. 

During  the  winter  there  was  plenty  of  occupation 
for  every  one  in  the  colony.  For  one  thing,  it  cost 
a  large  number  of  the  best  men  constant  and  hard 
labour  merely  to  supply  the  colonists  with  firewood 
and  food.  Then  the  felling  of  timber  for  export  was 
carried  on  during  winter  as  easily  as  in  summer, 
and  the  trapping  of  wild  animals  for  their  furs  was 
a  prolific  branch  of  industry.  Sometimes  the  men 
changed  their  work  for  the  sake  of  variety.  The 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  215 

hunters  occasionally  took  to  fishing,  the  fishers  to 
timber  felling  and  squaring,  the  timber- cutters  to 
trapping;  the  trappers  undertook  the  work  of  the 
firewood-cutters,  and  these  latter  relieved  the  men 
who  performed  the  duties  of  furniture-making,  re- 
pairing, general  home-work  and  guarding  the  settle- 
ment. Thus  the  work  went  on,  and  circled  round. 

Of  course  all  this  implied  a  vast  deal  of  tear  and 
wear.  Buttons  had  not  at  that  time  been  invented, 
but  tags  could  burst  off  as  well  as  buttons,  and  loops 
were  not  warranted  to  last  for  ever,  any  more  than 
button-holes.  Socks  were  unknown  to  those  hardy 
pioneers,  but  soft  leather  shoes,  not  unlike  mocas- 
sins, and  boots  resembling  those  of  the  Esquimaux 
of  the  present  day,  were  constantly  wearing  out,  and 
needed  to  be  replaced  or  repaired ;  hence  the  women 
of  the  colony  had  their  hands  full,  for,  besides  these 
renovating  duties  which  devolved  on  them,  they  had 
also  the  housekeeping — a  duty  in  itself  calling  for 
an  amount  of  constant  labour,  anxiety,  and  atten- 
tion which  that  ridiculous  creature  man  never  can 
or  will  understand  or  appreciate — at  least  so  the 
women  say,  but,  being  a  man,  we  incline  to  differ 
from  them  as  to  that  I 

Then,  when  each  day's  work  was  over,  the  men 
returned  to  their  several  abodes  tired  and  hungry. 
Arrangements  had  been  made  that  so  many  men 
should  dwell  and  mess  together,  and  the  women 


216  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

were  so  appointed  that  each  mess  was  properly  looked 
after.  Th  us  the  men  found  cheerful  fires,  clean  hearths, 
spread  tables,  smoking  viands,  and  a  pleasant  wel- 
come on  their  return  home  ;  and,  after  supper,  were 
wont  to  spend  the  evenings  in  recounting  their  day's 
experiences,  telling  sagas,  singing  songs,  or  discuss- 
ing general  principles — a  species  of  discussion,  by 
the  way,  which  must  certainly  have  originated  in 
Eden  after  the  Fall ! 

In  Karlsefin's  large  hall  the  largest  number  of 
men  and  women  were  nightly  assembled,  and  there 
the  time  was  spent  much  in  the  same  way,  but  with 
this  difference,  that  the  heads  of  the  settlement  were 
naturally  appealed  to  in  disputed  matters,  and  con- 
versation frequently  merged  into  something  like 
orations  from  Leif  and  Biarne,  Karlsefin  and  Thor- 
ward,  all  of  whom  were  far-travelled,  well-informed, 
and  capable  of  sustaining  the  interest  of  their  audi- 
ences for  a  prolonged  period. 

In  those  days  .the  art  of  writing  was  unknown 
among  the  Norsemen,  and  it  was  their  custom  to  fix 
the  history  of  their  great  achievements,  as  well  as 
much  of  their  more  domestic  doings,  in  their  memo- 
ries by  means  of  song  and  story.  Men  gifted  with 
powers  of  composition  in  prose  and  verse  undertook 
to  enshrine  deeds  and  incidents  in  appropriate  lan- 
guage at  the  time  of  their  occurrence,  and  these 
scalds  or  poets,  and  saga -men  or  chroniclers,  al- 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  217 

though  they  might  perhaps  have  coloured  their  nar- 
ratives and  poems  slightly,  were  not  likely  to  have 
falsified  them,  because  they  were  at  first  related  and 
sung  in  the  presence  of  actors  and  eye-witnesses,  to 
attempt  imposition  on  whom  would  have  been  use- 
less as  well  as  ridiculous.  Hence  those  old  songs 
and  sagas  had  their  foundation  in  truth.  After  they 
were  once  launched  into  the  memories  of  men,  the 
form  of  words,  doubtless,  tended  to  protect  them  to 
some  extent  from  adulteration,  and  even  when  all 
allowance  is  made  for  man's  well-known  tendency 
to  invent  and  exaggerate,  it  still  remains  likely  that 
all  the  truth  would  be  retained,  although  surrounded 
more  or  less  with  fiction.  To  distinguish  the  true 
from  the  false  in  such  cases  is  not  so  difficult  a  pro- 
cess as  one  at  first  sight  might  suppose.  Men  with 
penetrating  minds  and  retentive  memories,  who  are 
trained  to  such  work,  are  swift  to  detect  the  chaff 
amongst  the  wheat,  and  although  in  their  winnowing 
operations  they  may  frequently  blow  away  a  few 
grains  of  wheat,  they  seldom  or  never  accept  any  of 
the  chaff  as  good  grain. 

We  urge  all  this  upon  the  reader,  because  the 
narratives  and  poems  which  were  composed  and  re- 
lated by  Karlsefin  and  his  friends  that  winter,  doubt- 
less contained  those  truths  which  were  not  taken 
out  of  the  traditionary  state,  collected  and  committed 
to  writing  by  the  Icelandic  saga-writers,  until  about 


218  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

one  hundred  years  afterwards,  at  the  end  of  the 
eleventh  or  beginning  of  the  twelfth  century. 

On  these  winter  evenings,  too,  Karlsefin  some- 
times broached  the  subject  of  the  new  religion,  which 
had  been  so  recently  introduced  into  Greenland 
He  told  them  that  he  had  not  received  much  in- 
struction in  it,  so  that  he  could  not  presume  to 
explain  it  all  to  them,  but  added  that  he  had  be- 
come acquainted  with  the  name  and  some  of  the 
precepts  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  these  last,  he  said, 
seemed  to  him  so  good  and  so  true  that  he  now 
believed  in  Him  who  taught  them,  and  would  not 
exchange  that  belief  for  all  the  riches  of  this  world, 
"for,"  said  he,  "the  world  we  dwell  in  is  passing 
away — that  to  which  we  go  shall  never  pass  away." 
His  chief  delight  in  the  new  religion  was  that  Jesus 
Christ  was  described  as  a  Saviour  from  sin,  and  he 
thought  that  to  be  delivered  from  wicked  thoughts 
in  the  heart  and  wicked  deeds  of  the  body  was  the 
surest  road  to  perfect  happiness. 

The  Norsemen  listened  to  all  this  with  profound 
interest,  for  none  of  them  were  so  much  wedded  to 
their  old  religion  as  to  feel  any  jealousy  of  the  new; 
but  although  they  thought  much  about  it,  they  spoke 
little,  for  all  were  aware  that  the  two  religions  could 
not  go  together — the  acceptance  of  the  one  implied 
the  rejection  of  the  other. 

Frequently  during  the  winter  Karlsefin  and  Leif 


OR  AMERICA  BEFOEE  COLUMBUS.  219 

had  earnest  conversations  about  the  prospects  of  the 
infant  colony. 

"Leif,"  said  Karlsefin,  one  day,  "my  mind  is 
troubled." 

"  That  is  bad,"  replied  Leif;  "  what  troubles  it  ?" 

"  The  thoughts  that  crowd'  upon  me  in  regard  to 
this  settlement." 

"  I  marvel  not  at  that,"  returned  Leif,  stopping 
and  looking  across  the  lake,  on  the  margin  of  which 
they  were  walking ;  "  your  charge  is  a  heavy  one, 
calling  for  earnest  thought  and  careful  management. 
But  what  is  the  particular  view  that  gives  you  un- 
easiness ?" 

"  Why,  the  fact  that  it  does  not  stand  on  a  foun- 
dation which  is  likely  to  be  permanent.  A  house 
may  not  be  very  large,  but  if  its  foundation  be  good 
it  will  stand.  If,  however,  its  foundation  be  bad, 
then  the  bigger  and  grander  it  is,  so  much  the  worse 
for  the  house." 

"That  is  true.     Go  on." 

"  Well,  it  seems  to  me  that  the  foundation  of  our 
settlement  is  not  good.  It  is  true  that  some  of  us 
have  our  wives  here,  and  there  is,  besides,  a  sprink- 
ling of  young  girls,  who  are  being  courted  by  some 
of  the  men;  nevertheless  it  remains  a  stubborn  truth 
that  far  the  greater  part  of  the  men  are  those  who 
came  out  with  Thorward  and  me,  and  have  left  either 
wives  or  sweethearts  in  Norway  and  in  Iceland. 


220  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

Now  these  may  be  pleased  to  remain  here  for  a 
time,  but  it  cannot  be  expected  that  they  will  sit 
down  contentedly  and  make  it  their  home." 

"  There  is  truth  in  what  you  say,  Karlsefin.  Have 
any  of  your  men  spoken  on  that  subject  ? " 

"  No,  none  as  yet ;  but  I  have  not  failed  to  note 
that  some  of  them  are  not  so  cheerful  and  hearty  as 
they  used  to  be." 

"  What  is  to  prevent  you  making  a  voyage  to  Ice- 
land and  Norway  next  spring,"  said  Leif,  "  and 
bringing  out  the  wives  and  families,  and,  if  you  can, 
the  sweethearts  of  these  men  ?" 

Karlsefin  laughed  heartily  at  this  suggestion. 

"  Why,  Leif,"  he  said,  "  has  your  sojourn  on  the 
barren  coast  of  Greenland  so  wrought  on  your  good 
sense,  or  your  feelings,  that  you  should  suppose 
thirty  or  forty  families  will  agree  at  once  to  leave 
home  and  kindred  to  sail  for  and  settle  in  a  new 
land  of  the  West  that  they  have  barely, — perhaps 
never — heard  of;  and  think  .you  that  sweethearts 
have  so  few  lovers  at  home  that  they  will  jump 
at  those  who  are  farthest  away  from  them  ?  It  is 
one  thing  to  take  time  and  trouble  to  collect  men 
and  households  that  are  willing  to  emigrate ;  it  is 
another  thing  altogether  to  induce  households  to 
follow  men  who  have  already  emigrated." 

"  Nay,  but  I  would  counsel  you  to  take  the  men 
home  along  with  you,  so  that  they  might  use  their 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  221 

persuasions,"  returned  Leif ;  "  but,  as  you  say,  it  is 
not  a  likely  course  to  take,  even  in  that  way.  What, 
then,  do  you  think,  is  wisest  to  be  done  V 

"  I  cannot  yet  reply  to  that,  Leif.  I  see  no 
course  open." 

"Tell  me,  Karlsefin,  how  is  it  with  yourself  ?"  asked 
Leif,  looking  earnestly  at  his  friend.  "  Are  you  con- 
tent to  dwell  here  ?" 

Karlsefin  did  not  reply  for  a  few  seconds. 

"  Well,  to  tell  you  the  truth,"  he  said  at  length, 
"I  do  not  relish  the  notion  of  calling  Vinland  home. 
The  sea  is  my  home.  I  have  dwelt  on  it  the  greater 
part  of  my  life.  I  love  its  free  breezes  and  surging 
waves.  The  very  smell  of  its  salt  spray  brings 
pleasant  memories  to  my  soul.  I  cannot  brook  the 
solid  earth.  While  I  walk  I  feel  as  if  I  were  glued 
to  it,  and  when  I  lie  down  I  am  too  still.  It  is  like 
death.  On  the  sea,  whether  I  stand,  or  walk,  or 
lie,  I  am  ever  bounding  on.  Yes ;  the  sea  is  my 
native  home,  and  when  old  age  constrains  me  to 
forsake  it,  and  take  to  the  land,  my  home  must  be 
in  Iceland." 

"  Truly  if  that  be  your  state  of  mind,"  said  Leif, 
laughing,  "  there  is  little  hope  of  your  finally  com- 
ing to  an  anchor  here." 

"  But,"  continued  Karlsefin,  less  energetically,  "  it 
would  not  be  right  in  me  to  forsake  those  whom  I 
have  led  hither.  I  am  bound  to  remain  by  and  aid 


222  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

them  as  long  as  they  are  willing  to  stay — at  least 
until  they  do  not  require  my  services." 

"  That  is  well  spoken,  friend,"  said  Leif.  "  Thou 
art  indeed  so  bound.  Now,  what  I  would  counsel 
is  this,  that  you  should  spend  another  year,  or  per- 
haps two  more  years,  in  Vinland,  and  at  the  end  of 
that  time  it  will  be  pretty  plain  either  that  the  colony 
is  going  to  flourish  and  can  do  without  you,  or  that 
it  is  advisable  to  forsake  it  and  return  home.  Mean- 
while I  would  advise  that  you  give  the  land  a  fair 
trial.  Put  a  good  face  on  it ;  keep  the  men  busy — 
for  that  is  the  way  to  keep  them  cheerful  and  con- 
tented, always  being  careful  not  to  overwork  them 
— provide  amusements  for  their  leisure  hours  if  pos- 
sible, and  keep  them  from  thinking  too  much  of 
absent  wives  and  sweethearts — if  you  can." 

" If  I  can"  repeated  Karlsefm,  with  a  smile  ; 
"ay,  but  I  don't  think  I  can.  However,  your 
advice  seems  good,  so  I  will  adopt  it ;  and  as  I  shall 
be  able  to  follow  it  out  all  the  better  with  your  aid, 
I  hope  that  you  will  spend  next  winter  with  us." 

"  I  agree  to  that,"  said  Leif ;  "  but  I  must  first 
visit  Greenland  in  spring,  and  then  return  to  you. 
And  now,  tell  me  what  you  think  of  the  two  thralls 
King  Olaf  sent  me." 

Karlsefin's  brow  clouded  a  little  as  he  replied 
that  they  were  excellent  men  in  all  respects — cheer- 
ful, willing,  and  brave. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  223 

"  So  should  I  have  expected  of  men  sent  to  me  by 
the  King,"  said  Leif,  "  but  I  have  noticed  that  the 
elder  is  very  sad.  Does  he  pine  for  his  native  land, 
think  ye?" 

"  Doubtless  he  does,"  answered  Karlsefin  ;  "  but  I 
am  tempted  to  think  that  he,  like  some  others  among 
us,  pines  for  an  absent  sweetheart." 

"  Not  unlikely,  not  unlikely,"  observed  Leif,  look- 
ing gravely  at  the  ground.  "  And  the  younger  lad, 
Hake,  what  of  him?  He,  I  think,  seems  well 
enough  pleased  to  remain,  if  one  may  judge  from 
his  manner  and  countenance." 

"There  is  reason  for  that,"  returned  Karlsefin, 
with  a  recurrence  of  the  troubled  expression.  "  The 
truth  is  that  Hake  is  in  love  with  Bertha." 

"  The  thrall  ?"  exclaimed  Leif. 

"  Ay,  and  he  has  gone  the  length  of  speaking  to 
her  of  love ;  I  know  it,  for  I  heard  him." 

"  What !  does  Karlsefin  condescend  to  turn  eaves- 
dropper ?"  said  Leif,  looking  at  his  friend  in  surprise. 

"  Not  so,  but  I  chanced  to  come  within  earshot  at 
the  close  of  an  interview  they  had,  and  heard  a  few 
words  in  spite  of  myself.  It  was  in  summer.  I 
was  walking  through  the  woods,  and  suddenly  heard 
voices  near  me  in  the  heart  of  a  copse  through  which 
I  must  needs  pass.  Thinking  nothing  about  it  I 
advanced  and  saw  Hake  and  Bertha  partially  con- 
cealed by  the  bushes.  Suddenly  Hake  cried  pas- 


224  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

sionately,  'I  cannot  help  it,  Bertha.  I  must  tell 
you  that  I  love  you  if  I  should  die  for  it ;'  to  which 
Bertha  replied,  'It  is  useless,  Hake;  neither  Leif 
nor  Karlsefin  will  consent,  and  I  shall  never  oppose 
their  will.'  Then  Hake  said,  '  You  are  right,  Bertha, 
right — forgive  me — /  At  this  point  I  felt  ashamed 
of  standing  still,  and  turned  back  lest  I  should  over- 
hear more." 

"  He  is  a  thrall — a  thrall,"  murmured  Leif  sternly, 
as  if  musing. 

"  And  yet  he  is  a  Scottish  earl's  son,"  said  Karlse- 
fin. "  It  does  seem  a  hard  case  to  be  a  thrall.  I 
wonder  if  the  new  religion  teaches  anything  regard- 
ing thraldom." 

Leif  looked  up  quickly  into  his  friend's  face,  but 
Karlsefin  had  turned  his  head  aside  as  if  in  medita- 
tion, and  no  further  allusion  was  made  to  that  sub- 
ject by  either  of  them. 

"  Do  you  think  that  Bertha  returns  Hake's  love  ?" 
asked  Leif,  after  a  few  minutes. 

"  There  can  be  no  doubt  of  that,"  said  Karlsefin, 
laughing ;  "  the  colour  of  her  cheek,  the  glance  of 
her  eye,  and  the  tones  of  her  voice,  are  all  tell-tale. 
But  since  the  day  I  have  mentioned  they  have  evi- 
dently held  more  aloof  from  each  other." 

"  That  is  well,"  said  Leif,  somewhat  sternly. 
"  Bertha  is  free-born.  She  shall  not  wed  a  thrall  if 
he  were  the  son  of  fifty  Scottish  earls." 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  225 

This  speech  was  altogether  so  unlike  what  might 
have  been  expected  from  one  of  Leif's  kind  and 
gentle  nature  that  Karlsefin  looked  at  him  in  some 
astonishment  and  seemed  about  to  speak,  but  Leif 
kept  his  frowning  eyes  steadily  on  the  ground,  and 
the  two  friends  walked  the  remainder  of  the  road  to 
the  hamlet  in  perfect  silence. 


CHAPTEE  XVIL 


TREATS  OF  THE  FRIENDSHIP  AND  ADVENTURES  OF  OLAF  AND  SNORRO, 
AND  OF  SUNDRY  SURPRISING  INCIDENTS. 


WE  must  now  pass  over  a  considerable  period  of 
time,  and  carry  our  story  forward  to  the  spring  of 
the  third  year  after  the  settlement  of  the  Norsemen 
in  Vinland. 

During  that  interval  matters  had  progressed  much 
in  the  same  way  as  we  have  already  described,  only 
that  the  natives  had  become  a  little  more  exacting 
in  their  demands  while  engaged  in  barter,  and  were, 
on  the  whole,  rather  more  pugnacious  and  less  easily 
pleased.  There  had  been  a  threatening  of  hostilities 
once  or  twice,  but,  owing  to  Karlsefin's  pacific  policy, 
no  open  rupture  had  taken  place. 

During  that  interval,  too,  Leif  had  made  two  trips 
to  Greenland  and  back;  a  considerable  amount  of 
merchandise  had  been  sent  home  ;  a  few  more  colo- 
nists had  arrived,  and  a  few  of  the  original  ones  had 
left ;  Thorward's  ship  had  been  also  brought  to  Vin- 
land ;  and  last,  but  not  least,  Snorro  had  grown  into 
a  most  magnificent  baby  ! 

Things  were  in  this   felicitous  condition  when, 


o 
226 


AMEEICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  227 

early  one  beautiful  spring  morning,  Snorro  resolved 
to  have  a  ramble.  Snorro  was  by  that  time  barely 
able  to  walk,  and  he  did  it  after  a  peculiar  fashion 
of  his  own.  He  had  also  begun  to  make  a  few  des- 
perate efforts  to  talk ;  but  even  Gudrid  was  forced  to 
admit  that,  in  regard  to  both  walking  and  talking, 
there  was  great  room  for  improvement. 

Now,  it  must  be  told  that  little  Olaf  was  parti- 
cularly fond  of  Snorro,  and,  if  one  might  judge  from 
appearances,  Snorro  reciprocated  the  attachment. 
Whenever  Snorro  happened  to  be  missed,  it  was 
generally  understood  that  Olaf  had  him.  If  any  one 
chanced  to  ask  the  question,  "Where  is  Snorro?" 
the  almost  invariable  reply  was,  "  Ask  Olaf."  In  the 
event  of  Olaf  not  having  him,  it  was  quite  unneces- 
sary for  any  one  to  ask  where  he  was,  because  the 
manner  in  which  he  raged  about  the  hamlet  shout- 
ing, howling,  absolutely  yelling,  for  "O'af!"was  a 
sufficient  indication  of  his  whereabouts. 

It  was  customary  for  Olaf  not  only  to  tend  and 
nurse  Snorro,  in  a  general  way,  when  at  home,  but 
to  take  him  out  for  little  walks  and  rides  in  the 
forest — himself  being  the  horse.  At  first  these  de- 
lightful expeditions  were  very  short,  but  as  Snorro's 
legs  developed,  and  his  mother  became  more  accus- 
tomed to  his  absences,  they  were  considerably 
extended.  Nevertheless  a  limit  was  marked  out, 
beyond  which  Olaf  was  forbidden  to  take  him,  and 


228        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

experience  had  proved  that  Olaf  was  a  trustworthy 
boy.  It  must  be  remembered  here,  that  although 
he  had  grown  apace  during  these  two  years,  Olaf 
was  himself  but  a  small  boy,  with  the  clustering 
golden  curls  and  the  red  chubby  cheeks  with  which 
he  had  left  Greenland. 

As  we  have  said,  then,  Snorro  resolved  to  have  a 
walk  one  fine  spring  morning  of  the  year  one  thou- 
sand and  ten — or  thereabouts.  In  the  furtherance 
of  his  design  he  staggered  across  the  hall,  where 
Gudrid  had  left  him  for  those  fatal  "  few  minutes" 
during  which  children  of  all  ages  and  climes  have 
invariably  availed  themselves  of  their  opportunity ! 
Coming  to  a  serious  impediment  in  the  shape  of  the 
door-step,  he  paused,  plucked  up  heart,  and  tumbled 
over  it  into  the  road.  Gathering  himself  up,  he 
staggered  onward  through  the  village  shouting  his 
usual  cry,—"  O'af !  O'af !  O'AF  !  O-o-o  I"  with  his 
wonted  vigour. 

But  "  O'af  "  was  deaf  to  the  touching  appeal.  He 
chanced  to  have  gone  away  that  morning  with  Biarne 
and  Hake  to  visit  a  bear-trap.  A  little  black  bear 
had  been  found  in  it  crushed  and  dead  beneath  the 
heavy  tree  that  formed  the  drop  of  the  trap.  This 
bear  had  been  slung  on  a  pole  between  the  two  men, 
and  the  party  were  returning  home  in  triumph  at  the 
time  that  Snorro  set  up  his  cry,  but  they  were  not 
quite  within  ear- shot 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  229 

Finding  that  his  cries  were  not  attended  to,  Snorro 
staggered  out  of  the  village  into  the  forest  a  short 
way,  and  there,  standing  in  the  middle  of  the  path, 
began  again,— "  O'af !  O'af  !  O'AF  !  O-o-o!" 

Still  there  was  no  reply ;  therefore  Snorro,  stirred 
by  the  blood  which  had  descended  to  him  through  a 
long  line  of  illustrious  and  warlike  sea-kings,  lost 
his  temper,  stamped  his  feet,  and  screeched  with 
passion. 

Nothing  resulting,  he  changed  his  mood,  shouted 
"O'af!"  once  more,  in  heartrending  accents,  and — 
with  his  eyes  half- shut  and  mouth  wide  open,  his 
arms  and  hands  helplessly  pendent,  his  legs  astraddle, 
and  his  whole  aspect  what  is  expressively  styled 
in  the  Norse  tongue  legrutten — howled  in  abject 
despair ! 

In  this  condition  he  was  found  by  the  bear  party 
not  many  minutes  later,  and  in  another  moment  he 
was  sobbing  out  his  heart  and  sorrows  into  the 
sympathetic  bosom  of  his  dearly-loved  friend. 

"  What  is  it,  Snorrie  ?  What 's  the  matter  ?"  in- 
quired Olaf  tenderly. 

"  Hik  !— Me— hup  !— 0  !— want— hif  !— wak  " 
replied  the  sobbing  child. 

"  It  wants  to  walk,  does  it  ?  So  it  shall,,  my  bold 
little  man.  There,  dry  its  eyes  and  get  on  my  back, 
hup  ! — now,  away  we  go  !  1 11  be  back  soon,"  he 
said  to  Biarne,  who  stood  laughing  at  them.  "  Be 


230        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

sure  that  you  keep  the  claws  of  the  bear  for  mo. 
—Now,  Snorrie,  off  and  away  !  hurrah  !" 

"  Hoo'ah  !"  echoed  Snorro,  as,  holding  tight  with 
both  his  fat  arms  round  Olaf  s  neck,  he  was  borne 
away  into  the  wilderness. 

Olaf 's  usual  mode  of  proceeding  was  as  follows  : — 

First  he  dashed  along  the  track  of  the  wood- 
cutters for  about  half  a  mile.  It  was  a  good  broad 
track,  which  at  first  had  been  cleared  by  the  axe, 
and  afterwards  well  beaten  by  the  constant  passage 
of  men  and  horses  with  heavy  loads  of  timber.  Then 
he  stopped  and  set  Snorro  on  his  legs,  and,  going 
down  on  his  knees  before  him,  laughed  in  his  face. 
You  may  be  sure  that  Snorro  returned  the  laugh 
with  right  good-will 

"  Whereaway  next,  Snorrie  ?" 

"  Away  !  a- way  !"  shouted  the  child,  throwing  up 
his  arms,  losing  his  balance,  and  falling  plump — in 
sedentary  fashion. 

"  Ay,  anywhere  you  please  ;  that  means,  no  doubt, 
up  to  the  sun  or  moon,  if  possible !  But  come,  it 
must  walk  a  bit  now.  Give  me  its  hand,  old 
man." 

Snorro  was  obedient  to  Olaf — and,  reader,  that 
was  an  amazing  triumph  of  love,  for  to  no  one  else, 
not  even  to  his  mother,  did  he  accord  obedience. 
He  quietly  took  his  guide's  hand,  trotted  along  by 
his  side,  and  listened  wonderingly  while  he  chatted 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  231 

of  trees,  and  flowers,  and  birds,  and  squirrels,  and 
wild  beasts,  just  as  if  he  understood  every  word  that 
Olaf  said. 

But  Snorro's  obedience  was  not  perfect.  Olaf  s 
pace  being  regulated  by  his  spirits,  Snorro  soon 
began  to  pant,  and  suddenly  pulled  up  with  a 
violent  "  'Top !" 

"  Ho !  is  it  tired  ?"  cried  Olaf,  seizing  him  and 
throwing  him  over  his  shoulder  into  the  old  position. 
"  Well,  then,  off  we  go  again  !" 

He  not  only  went  off  at  a  run,  but  he  went  off 
the  track  also  at  this  point,  and  struck  across 
country  straight  through  the  woods  in  the  direction 
of  a  certain  ridge,  which  was  the  limit  beyond  which 
he  was  forbidden  to  go. 

It  was  an  elevated  ridge,  which  commanded  a 
fine  view  of  the  surrounding  country,  being  higher 
than  the  tree-tops,  and  was  a  favourite  resort  of 
Olaf  when  he  went  out  to  ramble  with  Snorro. 
Beyond  it  lay  a  land  that  was  unknown  to  Olaf, 
because  that  part  of  the  forest  was  so  dense  that 
even  the  men  avoided  it  in  their  expeditions,  and 
selected  more  open  and  easier  routes.  Olaf,  who 
was  only  allowed  to  accompany  the  men  on  short 
excursions,  had  never  gone  beyond  the  ridge  in  that 
direction.  He  longed  to  do  so,  however,  and  many 
a  time  had  he,  while  playing  with  Snorro  on  the 
ridge,  gazed  with  ever  increasing  curiosity  into  the 


232        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

deep  shades  beyond,  and  wondered  what  was  there  ! 
To  gaze  at  a  forbidden  object  is  dangerous.  We 
have  already  said  that  Olaf  was  a  trustworthy  boy, 
but  he  was.  not  immaculate.  He  not  only  sometimes 
wished  to  have  his  own  way,  but  now  and  then  took 
it.  On  this  particular  occasion  he  gave  way,  alas  ! 
to  temptation. 

"  Snorro,"  said  he,  after  sitting  under  a  tree  for  a 
considerable  time  basking  in  the  checkered  sunshine 
with  the  child  beside  him,  "  Snorro,  why  should 
not  you  and  I  have  a  peep  into  that  dark  forest  ?" 

"  Eh  ?"  said  Snorro,  who  understood  him  not. 

"  It  would  be  great  fun,"  pursued  Olaf.  "  The 
shade  would  be  so  pleasant  in  a  hot  day  like  this, 
and  we  would  not  go  far.  What  does  it  think  ?" 

"  Ho !"  said  Snorro,  who  thought  and  cared  no- 
thing at  all  about  it,  for  he  happened  to  be  engaged 
just  then  in  crushing  a  quantity  of  wild-flowers  in 
his  fat  hands. 

"  I  see  it  is  not  inclined  to  talk  much  to-day. 
Well,  come,  get  on  my  back,  and  we  shall  have  just 
one  peep — just  one  run  into  it — and  then  out  again." 

Error  number  one.  Smelling  forbidden  fruit  is 
the  sure  prelude  to  the  eating  of  it ! 

He  took  the  child  on  his  back,  descended  the  hill, 
and  entered  the  thick  forest. 

The  scene  that  met  his  gaze  was  indeed  well  cal- 
culated to  delight  a  romantic  boy.  He  found  that 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  233 

the  part  of  the  woods  immediately  around  him  con- 
sisted of  tall  straight  trees  with  thick  umbrageous 
tops,  the  stems  of  which  seemed  like  pillars  support- 
ing a  vast  roof;  and  through  between  these  stems 
he  could  see  a  vista  of  smaller  stems  which  appeared 
absolutely  endless.  There  was  no  grass  on  the 
ground,  but  a  species  of  soft  moss,  into  which  he 
sank  ankle-deep,  yet  not  so  deep  as  to  render  walk- 
ing difficult.  In  one  direction  the  distance  looked 
intensely  blue,  in  another  it  was  almost  black, 
while,  just  before  him,  a  long  way  off,  there  was  a 
bright  sunny  spot  with  what  appeared  to  be  the 
glittering  waters  of  a  pond  in  the  midst  of  it. 

The  whole  scene  was  both  beautiful  and  strange 
to  Olaf,  and  would  have  filled  him  with  intense  de- 
light, if  he  could  only  have  got  rid  of  that  uncom- 
fortable feeling  about  its  being  forbidden  ground  ! 
However,  having  fairly  got  into  the  scrape,  he 
thought  he  might  as  well  go  through  with  it. 

Error  number  two.  Having  become  impressed 
with  the  fact  that  he  had  sinned,  he  ought  to  have 
turned  back  at  once.  "  In  for  a  penny,  in  for  a 
pound,"  is  about  the  worst  motto  that  ever  was 
invented.  Interpreted,  it  means,  "  Having  done  a 
little  mischief,  1 11  shut  my  eyes  and  go  crashing 
into  all  iniquity."  As  well  might  one  say,  "  Having 
burnt  my  finger,  I  '11  shove  my  whole  body  into  the 
fire  !" 


234  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

But  Olaf  did  not  take  time  to  think.  He  pushed 
boldly  forward  in  the  direction  of  the  lake.  As  he 
drew  near  he  found  the  moss  becoming  softer  and 
deeper,  besides  being  rather  wet.  Going  a  few  steps 
further,  he  found  that  it  changed  into  a  swamp. 

"  Ho  !  Snorrie,  this  is  dangerous  ground,"  he  said, 
turning  back ;  "  we  '11  take  a  round-about  and  try 
to  get  to  the  lake  by  a  drier  way." 

He  did  so,  but  the  more  he  diverged  towards  dry 
ground  the  more  did  the  swamp  force  him  to  one 
side,  until  it  compelled  him  to  go  out  of  sight  of  the 
pond  altogether. 

"  Now,  isn't  that  vexin'  ?"  he  said,  looking  about 
him. 

"  Iss,"  replied  Snorro,  who  was  becoming  sleepy, 
and  had  laid  his  head  on  his  friend's  shoulder. 

"  Well,  as  we  can't  get  to  the  lake,  and  as  this  is 
rather  a  wild  place,  we'll  just  turn  back  now  and 
£et  out  of  it  as  fast  as  we  can." 

O 

"  Iss,"  murmured  Snorro,  with  a  deep  sigh. 

Olaf  turned  back  and  made  for  the  edge  of  the 
wood.  He  was  so  long  of  coming  to  it  that  he 
began  to  be  somewhat  surprised,  and  looked  about 
him  a  little  more  carefully,  but  the  tall  straight 
stems  were  all  so  much  alike  that  they  afforded  him 
no  clue  to  his  way  out  of  the  wood.  Young  though 
he  was,  Olaf  knew  enough  of  woodcraft  to  be  able 
to  steer  his  course  by  the  sun  ;  but  the  sky  had  be- 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  235 

come  clouded,  and  the  direction  of  the  sun  could 
not  be  ascertained  through  the  dense  foliage  over- 
head. He  now  became  seriously  alarmed.  His 
heart  beat  against  his  ribs  as  if  it  wanted  to  get  out, 
and  he  started  off  at  a  run  in  the  direction  in  which, 
he  felt  sure,  the  ridge  lay.  Becoming  tired  and  still 
more  alarmed,  he  changed  his  course,  eagerly  ad- 
vanced for  a  short  time,  hesitated,  changed  his  course 
again,  and  finally  stopped  altogether,  as  the  terrible 
fact  flashed  upon  him  that  he  was  really  lost  in  the 
woods.  He  set  Snorro  on  the  ground,  and,  sitting 
down  beside  him,  burst  into  tears. 

We  need  scarcely  say  that  poor  Olaf  was  neither 
a  timid  nor  an  effeminate  boy.  It  was  not  for  him- 
self that  he  thus  gave  way.  It  was  the  sudden 
opening  of  his  eyes  to  the  terrible  consequences  of 
his  disobedience  that  unmanned  him.  His  quick 
mind  perceived  at  once  that  little  Snorro  would 
soon  die  of  cold  and  hunger  if  he  failed  to  find  his 
way  out  of  that  wilderness ;  and  when  he  thought 
of  this,  and  of  the  awful  misery  that  would  thus 
descend  on  the  heads  of  Karlsefin  and  Gudrid,  he 
felt  a  strange  desire  that  he  himself  might  die  there 
and  then. 

This  state  of  mind,  however,  did  not  last  long. 
He  soon  dried  his  eyes  and  braced  himself  up  for 
another  effort.  Snorro  had  gone  to  sleep  the  instant 
he  was  laid  on  the  ground.  As  his  luckless  guide 


236  THE  NOKSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

raised  him  he  opened  his  eyes  slightly,  murmured 
"  O'af,"  and  again  went  off  to  the  land  of  Nod. 

Olaf  now  made  a  more  steady  and  persevering 
effort  to  get  out  of  the  wood,  and  he  was  so  far 
successful  that  he  came  to  ground  that  was  more 
open  and  broken — more  like  to  that  through  which 
he  had  been  accustomed  to  travel  with  the  men. 
This  encouraged  him  greatly,  for,  although  he  did 
not  recognise  any  part  of  it,  he  believed  that  he 
must  now  be  at  all  events  not  far  distant  from  places 
that  he  knew.  Here  he  again  looked  for  the  sun, 
but  the  sky  had  become  so  thickly  overcast  that  he 
could  not  make  out  its  position.  Laying  Snorro 
down,  he  climbed  a  tall  tree,  but  the  prospect  of  in- 
terminable forest  which  he  beheld  from  that  point  of 
vantage  did  not  afford  him  any  clue  to  his  locality. 
He  looked  for  the  ridge,  but  there  were  many  ridges 
in  view,  any  of  which  might  have  been  his  ridge, 
but  none  of  which  looked  precisely  like  it. 

Nevertheless,  the  upward  bound  which  his  spirits 
had  taken  when  he  came  to  the  more  open  country 
did  not  altogether  subside.  He  still  wandered  on  man- 
fully, in  the  hope  that  he  was  gradually  nearing  home. 

At  last  evening  approached  and  the  light  began 
to  fade  away.  Olaf  was  now  convinced  that  he 
should  have  to  spend  the  night  in  the  forest.  He 
therefore  wisely  resolved,  while  it  was  yet  day,  to 
search  for  a  suitable  place  whereon  to  encamp,  in- 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  237 

stead  of  struggling  on  till  he  could  go  no  farther. 
Fortunately  the  weather  was  warm  at  the  time. 

Ere  long  he  found  a  small  hollow  in  a  sand-bank 
which  was  perfectly  dry  and  thickly  overhung  with 
shrubs.  Into  this  he  crept  and  carefully  laid  down 
his  slumbering  charge.  Then,  going  out,  he  col- 
lected a  large  quantity  of  leaves.  With  these  he 
made  a  couch,  on  which  he  laid  Snorro  and  covered 
him  well  over.  Lying  down  beside  him  he  drew  as 
close  to  the  child  as  he  could  ;  placed  his  little  head 
on  his  breast  to  keep  it  warm ;  laid  his  own  curly 
pate  on  a  piece  of  turf,  and  almost  instantly  fell  into 
a  profound  slumber. 

The  sun  was  up  and  the  birds  were  singing  long 
before  that  slumber  was  broken.  When  at  last  Olaf 
and  his  little  charge  awoke,  they  yawned  several 
times  and  stretched  themselves  vigorously ;  opened 
their  eyes  with  difficulty,  and  began  to  look  round 
with  some  half-formed  notions  as  to  breakfast.  Olaf 
was  first  to  observe  that  the  roof  above  him  was  a 
confused  mass  of  earth  and  roots,  instead  of  the  cus- 
tomary plank  ceiling  and  cross-beams  of  home. 

"  Where  am  I  ?"  he  murmured  lazily,  yet  with  a 
look  of  sleepy  curiosity. 

He  was  evidently  puzzled,  and  there  is  no  saying 
how  long  he  might  have  lain  in  that  condition  had 
not  a  very  small  contented  voice  close  beside  him 
replied — 


238  THE  NOKSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"  You 's  here,  O'af ;  an'  so 's  me." 

Olaf  raised  himself  quickly  on  his  elbow,  and, 
looking  down,  observed  Snorro's  large  eyes  gazing 
from  out  a  forest  of  leaves  in  quiet  satisfaction. 

"Isn't  it  nice?"  continued  Snorro. 

"Nice!"  exclaimed  Olaf  in  a  voice  of  despair, 
when  the  whole  truth  in  regard  to  their  lost  condi- 
tion was  thus  brought  suddenly  to  his  mind.  "  Nice  ! 
No,  Snorrie,  my  little  man,  it  isn't  nice.  It 's  dread- 
ful !  It's  awful !  It 's — but  come,  I  must  not  give 
way  like  a  big  baby  as  I  did  yesterday.  We  are 
lost,  Snorrie,  lost  in  the  woods." 

"Lost!  What's  lost?"  asked  Snorro,  sitting  up 
and  gazing  into  his  friend's  face  with  an  anxious 
expression — not,  of  course,  in  consequence  of  being 
lost,  which  he  did  not  understand,  but  because  of 
Olaf's  woful  countenance. 

"  Oh  !  you  can't  understand  it,  Snorrie  ;  and,  after 
all,  I  'm  a  stupid  fellow  to  alarm  you,  for  that  can 
do  no  good.  Come,  my  mannie,  you  and  I  are  going 
to  wander  about  in  the  woods  to-day  a  great  long 
way,  and  try  to  get  home ;  so,  let  me  shake  the 
leaves  off  you.  There  now,  we  shall  start." 

"Dat  great  fun!"  cried  Snorro,  with  sparkling 
eyes ;  "  but,  O'af,  me  want  mik." 

"  Milk— eh  ?     Well,  to  be  sure,  but—" 

Olaf  stopped  abruptly,  not  only  because  he  was 
greatly  perplexed  about  the  matter  of  breakfast  thus 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  239 

suggested  to  him,  but  because  he  chanced  at  that 
moment  to  look  towards  the  leafy  entrance  of  the 
cave,  and  there  beheld  a  pair  of  large  black  eyes 
glaring  at  him. 

To  say  that  poor  Olaf's  heart  gave  a  violent  leap, 
and  then  apparently  ceased  to  beat  altogether,  while 
the  blood  fled  from  his  visage,  is  not  to  say  anything 
disparaging  to  his  courage.  Whether  you  be  boy  or 
man,  reader,  we  suspect  that  if  you  had,  in  similar 
circumstances,  beheld  such  a  pair  of  eyes,  you  might 
have  been  troubled  with  somewhat  similar  emotions. 
Cowardice  lies  not  in  the  susceptibility  of  the  ner- 
vous system  to  a  shock,  but  in  giving  way  to  that 
shock  so  as  to  become  unfit  for  proper  action  or 
self-defence.  If  Olaf  had  been  a  coward,  he  would, 
forgetting  all  else,  have  attempted  to  fly,  or,  that 
being  impossible,  would  have  shrunk  into  the  inner- 
most recesses  of  the  cave.  Not  being  a  coward,  his 
first  impulse  was  to  start  to  his  feet  and  face  the 
pair  of  eyes ;  his  second,  to  put  his  left  arm  round 
Snorro,  and,  still  keeping  his  white  face  steadily 
turned  to  the  foe,  to  draw  the  child  close  to  his  side. 
This  act,  and  the  direction  in  which  Olaf  gazed, 
caused  Snorro  to  glance  towards  the  cave's  mouth, 
where  he  no  sooner  beheld  the  apparition,  than 
shutting  his  own  eyes  tight,  and  opening. his  mouth 
wide,  he  gave  vent  to  a  series  of  yells  that  might 
have  terrified  the  wildest  beast  in  the  forest ! 


240        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

It  did  not,  however,  terrify  the  owner  of  the  eyes, 
for  the  bushes  were  instantly  thrust  aside,  and  next 
instant  Snorro's  mouth  was  violently  stopped  by  the 
black  hand  of  a  savage. 

Seeing  this,  Olaf's  blood  returned  to  its  ordinary 
channels  with  a  rush.  He  seized  a  thick  branch 
that  lay  on  the  ground,  and  dealt  the  savage  a 
whack  on  the  bridge  of  his  nose,  that  changed  it 
almost  immediately  from  a  snub  into  a  superb 
Eoman !  For  this  he  received  a  buffet  on  the  ear 
that  raised  a  brilliant  constellation  in  his  brain,  and 
laid  him  flat  on  the  ground. 

Eising  with  difficulty,  he  was  met  with  a  shower 
of  language  from  the  savage  in  a  voice  which  par- 
took equally  of  the  tones  of  remonstrance*  and  abuse, 
but  Olaf  made  no  reply,  chiefly  because,  not  under- 
standing what  was  said,  he  could  not.  Seeing  this 
plainly  indicated  on  his  face,  the  savage  stopped 
speaking  and  gave  him  a  box  on  the  other  ear,  by 
way  of  interpreting  what  he  had  said.  It  was  not 
quite  so  violent  as  the  first,  and  only  staggered  Olaf, 
besides  lighting  up  a  few  faint  stars.  Very  soon 
little  Snorro  became  silent,  from  the  combined  effects 
of  exhaustive  squeezes  and  horror. 

Having  thus  promptly  brought  matters  to  what 
he  seemed  to  consider  a  satisfactory  condition,  the 
savage — wiping  his  Eoman  nose,  which  had  bled  a 
little — threw  Snorro  over  his  shoulder,  and,  seizing 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  241 

Olaf  by  the  collar  of  his  coat,  so  as  to  thrust  him  on 
in  advance,  left  the  cavern  with  rapid  strides. 

Words  cannot  describe  the  condition  of  poor  Olaf 's 
mind,  as  he  was  thus  forced  violently  along  through 
the  forest,  he  knew  not  whither.  Fearful  thoughts 
went  flashing  swiftly  through  his  brain.  That  the 
savage  would  take  him  and  Snorro  to  his  home, 
wherever  that  might  be,  and  kill,  roast,  and  eat  him, 
was  one  of  the  mildest  of  these  thoughts.  He  re- 
flected that  the  hatred  of  the  savage  towards  him 
must  be  very  intense,  in  consequence  of  his  recent 
treatment  of  his  nose,  and  that  the  pain  of  that 
feature  would  infallibly  keep  his  hatred  for  a  long 
time  at  the  boiling-point;  so  that,  in  addition  to 
the  roasting  and  eating  referred  to,  he  had  every 
reason  to  expect  in  his  own  case  the  addition  of  a 
little  extra  torture.  Then  he  thought  of  the  fact, 
that  little  Snorro  would  never  more  behold  his 
mother,  and  the  torture  of  mind  resulting  from  this 
reflection  is  only  comparable  to  the  roasting  of  the 
body ;  but  the  worst  thought  of  all  was,  that  the 
dreadful  pass  to  which  he  and  Snorro  had  come,  was 
the  consequence  of  his  own  wilful  disobedience  !  The 
anguish  of  spirit  that  filled  him,  when  he  reflected 
on  this,  was  such  that  it  caused  him  almost  to  forget 
the  pain  caused  by  savage  knuckles  in  his  neck,  and 
savage  prospects  in  the  future. 

Oh  how  he  longed  for  a  knife  !  With  what  fearful 
Q 


242        THE  NOKSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

gloating  did  he  contemplate  the  exact  spot  in  the 
savage  groin  into  which  he  would  have  plunged  it 
until  the  haft  should  have  disappeared  !  And  this, 
not  so  much  from  a  feeling  of  revenge — though  that 
was  bad  enough — as  from  an  intense  desire  to  rescue 
Snorro  ere  it  should  be  too  late. 

Several  times  he  thought  of  a  final  dying  effort 
at  a  hand-to-hand  struggle  with  his  captor,  but  the 
power  of  the  grip  on  the  back  of  his  neck  induced 
him  to  abandon  that  idea  in  despair.  Then  he 
thought  of  a  sudden  wrench  and  a  desperate  flight, 
but  as  that  implied  the  leaving  of  Snorro  to  his  fate, 
he  abandoned  that  idea  too  in  disdain.  Suddenly, 
however,  he  recurred  to  it,  reflecting  that,  if  he  could 
only  manage  to  make  his  own  escape,  he  might  per- 
haps find  his  way  back  to  the  settlement,  give  the 
alarm,  and  lead  his  friends  to  Snorro's  rescue.  The 
power  of  this  thought  was  so  strong  upon  him,  that 
he  suddenly  stooped  and  gave  his  active  body  a 
twist,  which  he  considered  absolutely  awful  for 
strength,  but,  much  to  his  astonishment,  did  not 
find  himself  free.  On  the  contrary,  he  received 
such  a  shake,  accompanied  by  such  a  kick,  that 
from  that  moment  he  felt  all  hope  to  be  gone. 

Thus  they  proceeded  through  the  woods,  and  out 
upon  an  open  space  beyond,  and  over  a  variety  of 
ridges,  and  down  into  a  number  of  hollows,  and 
again  through  several  forests  not  unlike  the  first, 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  243 

until  poor  Olaf  began  to  wonder  whether  they  had 
not  passed  the  boundaries  of  the  world  altogether 
and  got  into  another  region  beyond — until  his  legs, 
sturdy  though  they  were,  began  to  give  way  be- 
neath him — until  the  noon-day  sun  shone  perpen- 
dicularly down  through  the  trees,  and  felt  as  if  it 
were  burning  up  his  brain.  Then  they  came  to  a 
rivulet,  on  the  banks  of  which  were  seen  several 
tents  of  a  conical  form,  made  of  skins,  from  the  tops 
of  which  smoke  was  issuing. 

No  sooner  did  the  savage  come  in  sight  of  these 
tents  than  he  uttered  a  low  peculiar  cry.  It  was 
responded  to,  and  immediately  a  band  of  half-naked 
savages,  like  himself,  advanced  to  meet  him. 

There  was  much  gesticulation  and  loud  excited 
talking,  and  a  great  deal  of  pointing  to  the  two 
captives,  with  looks  expressive  of  surprise  and 
delight,  but  not  a  word  could  Olaf  understand ; 
and  the  gestures  were  not  definite  in  their  expres- 
sion. 

When  Snorro  was  placed  sitting-wise  on  the 
ground — nearly  half  dead  with  fatigue,  alarm,  and 
hunger — he  crept  towards  Olaf,  hid  his  face  in  his 
breast,  and  sobbed.  Then  did  Olafs  conscience 
wake  up  afresh  and  stab  him  with  a  degree  of 
vigour  that  was  absolutely  awful — for  Olafs  con- 
science was  a  tender  one ;  and  it  is  a  strange,  almost 
paradoxical,  fact,  that  the  tenderer  a  conscience  is 


244  THE  NOESEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

the  more  wrathfully  does  it  stab  and  lacerate  the 
heart  of  its  owner  when  he  has  done  wrong ! 

There  was,  however,  no  uncertainty  as  to  the 
disposition  of  the  savages,  when,  after  a  thorough 
inspection  of  the  children,  they  took  them  to  the 
tents  and  set  before  them  some  boiled  fish  and  roast 
venison. 

Need  we  remark  that,  for  the  time,  Olaf  and 
Snorro  forgot  their  sorrow  ?  It  would  scarcely  be  an 
exaggeration  to  say  that  Snorro  was  as  ravenous  as 
any  wolf  in  Yinland.  From  the  day  of  his  birth 
that  well- cared- for  child  had,  four  times  a  day, 
received  regular  nutriment  in  the  form  of  milk, 
bread,  eggs,  and  other  substances,  and  never  once 
had  he  been  permitted  to  experience  the  pangs  of 
hunger,  though  the  intimations  thereof  were  familiar. 
No  wonder,  then,  that  after  an  evening,  a  night,  and 
half  a  day  of  abstinence,  he  looked  with  a  longing 
gaze  on  victuals,  and,  when  opportunity  offered, 
devoured  them  desperately.  Olaf,  though  trained  a 
little  in  endurance,  was  scarcely  less  energetic,  for 
his  appetite  was  keen,  and  his  fast  had  been  un- 
usually prolonged. 

When  they  had  eaten  as  much  as  they  could — 
to  the  delight  of  the  natives,  excepting,  of  course, 
the  man  with  the  temporary  Eoman  nose — they  were 
ordered  by  signals,  which  even  Snorro  understood, 
to  remain  still  and  behave  themselves.  Thereafter 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  245 

the  natives  struck  their  tents,  packed  up  their  goods 
and  chattels,  embarked  in  sixteen  large  canoes,  and 
descended  the  rivulet  a  hundred  yards  or  so  to  the 
spot  where  it  flowed  into  a  large  river.  Here  they 
turned  the  canoes  up  stream,  and  silently  but  swiftly 
paddled  away  into  the  interior  of  the  land. 


CHAPTEE  XVIII. 

ANXIOUS  TIMES— A  SEARCH  ORGANIZED  AND  VIGOROUSLY 
CARRIED  OUT. 

IT  is  not  easy  to  conceive  the  state  of  alarm  that 
prevailed  in  the  settlement  of  the  Norsemen  when 
it  came  to  be  known  that  little  Snorro  and  Olaf 
were  lost.  The  terrible  fact  did  not  of  course  break 
on  them  all  at  once. 

For  some  hours  after  the  two  adventurers  had  left 
home,  Dame  Gudrid  went  briskly  about  her  house- 
hold avocations,  humming  tunefully  one  of  her  native 
Icelandic  airs,  and  thinking,  no  doubt,  of  Snorro. 
Astrid,  assisted  by  Bertha,  went  about  the  dairy 
operations,  gossiping  of  small  matters  in  a  pleasant 
way,  and,  among  other  things,  providing  Snorro's 
allowance  of  milk.  Thora  busied  herself  in  the 
preparation  of  Snorro's  little  bed ;  and  Freydissa, 
whose  stern  nature  was  always  softened  by  the 
sight  of  the  child,  constructed,  with  elaborate  care, 
a  little  coat  for  Snorro's  body.  Thus  Snorro's  in- 
terests were  being  tenderly  cared  for  until  the  gradual 
descent  of  the  sun  induced  the  remark,  that  "  Olaf 


AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  247 

must  surely  have  taken  a  longer  walk  than  usual 
that  day." 

"  I  must  go  and  meet  them/'  said  Gudrid,  be- 
coming for  the  first  time  uneasy. 

"  Let  me  go  with  you,"  said  Bertha. 

"  Come,  child,"  returned  Gudrid. 

In  passing  the  spot  where  the  little  bear  had 
been  cut  up  and  skinned,  they  saw  Hake  standing 
with  Biarne. 

"  Did  you  say  that  Olaf  took  the  track  of  the 
woodcutters  ?"  asked  Gudrid. 

"  Ay,  that  was  their  road  at  starting,"  answered 
Biarne.  "  Are  they  not  later  than  usual  ?" 

"  A  little.    We  go  to  meet  them." 

"  Tell  Olaf  that  I  have  kept  the  bear's  claws  for 
him,"  said  Biarne. 

The  two  women  proceeded  a  considerable  distance 
along  the  woodcutters'  track,  chatting,  as  they  went, 
on  various  subjects,  but,  not  meeting  the  children, 
they  became  alarmed  and  walked  on  in  silence. 

Suddenly  Gudrid  stopped. 

"  Bertha,"  said  she,  "  let  us  not  waste  time.  If 
the  dear  children  have  strayed  a  little  out  of  the 
right  road,  it  is  of  the  utmost  importance  to  send 
men  to  search  and  shout  for  them  before  it  begins 
to  darken.  Come,  we  will  return." 

Being  more  alarmed  than  she  liked  to  confess, 
even  to  herself,  Gudrid  at  once  walked  rapidly 


248  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

homewards,  and,  on  approaching  the  huts,  quickened 
her  pace  to  a  run. 

"  Quick,  Swend,  Hake,  Biarne  !"  she  cried;  "  the 
children  must  have  lost  their  way — haste  you  to 
search  for  them  before  the  sun  goes  down.  Shout 
as  ye  go.  It  will  be  ill  to  find  them  after  dark,  and 
if  they  have  to  spend  the  night  in  the  woods,  I  fear 
me  they  will — " 

"  Don't  fear  anything,  Gudrid,"  said  Biarne  kindly. 
"  We  will  make  all  haste,  and  doubtless  shall  find 
them  rambling  in  the  thickets  near  at  hand. — Go, 
Hake,  find  Karlsefin,  and  tell  him  that  I  will  begin 
the  search  at  once  with  Swend,  while  he  gets  toge- 
ther a  few  men." 

Cheered  by  Biarne's  hearty  manner,  Gudrid  was 
a  little  comforted,  and  returned  to  the  house  to 
complete  her  preparation  of  Snorro's  supper,  while 
Hake  gave  the  alarm  to  Karlsefin,  who,  accompanied 
by  Leif  and  a  body  of  men,  at  once  went  off  to 
scour  the  woods  in  every  direction. 

Of  course  they  searched  in  vain,  for  their  atten- 
tion was  at  first  directed  to  the  woods  near  home, 
in  which  it  was  naturally  enough  supposed  that 
Olaf  might  have  lost  his  way  in  returning.  Not 
finding  them  there,  Karlsefin  became  thoroughly 
alive  to  the  extreme  urgency  of  the  case,  and  the 
necessity  for  a  thorough  and  extended  plan  of  search. 

"  Come  hither,  Hake,"  said  he.     "  This  may  be  a 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  249 

longer  business  than  we  thought  for.  Bun  back  to 
the  huts,  call  out  all  the  men  except  the  home- 
guards.  Let  them  come  prepared  for  a  night  in  the 
woods,  each  man  with  a  torch,  and  one  meal  in  his 
pouch  at  least — " 

"  Besides  portions  for  the  twenty  men  already 
out,"  suggested  Hake. 

"  Bight,  right,  lad,  and  tell  them  to  meet  me  at 
the  Pine  Bidge. — Away  !  If  ever  thy  legs  rivalled 
the  wind,  let  them  do  so  now." 

Hake  sprang  off  at  a  pace  which  appeared  satis- 
factory even  to  the  anxious  father. 

In  half  an  hour  Karlsefin  was  joined  at  the  Pine 
Bidge  by  all  the  available  strength  of  the  colony, 
and  there  he  organized  and  despatched  parties  in  all 
directions,  appointing  the  localities  they  were  to 
traverse,  the  limits  of  their  search,  and  the  time  and 
place  for  the  next  rendezvous.  This  last  was  to  be 
on  the  identical  ridge  whence  poor  Olaf  had  taken 
his  departure  into  the  unknown  land.  Karlsefin 
knew  well  that  it  was  his  favourite  haunt,  and  in- 
tended to  search  carefully  up  to  it,  never  dreaming 
that  the  boy  would  go  beyond  it  after  the  strict 
injunctions  he  had  received  not  to  do  so,  and  the 
promises  he  had  made. 

"  I  'm  not  so  sure  as  you  seem  to  be  that  Olaf 
has  not  gone  beyond  the  ridge,"  observed  Leif  to 
Karlsefin,  after  the  men  had  left  them. 


250  THE  NOKSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"  Why  not  ?"  asked  the  latter.  "  He  is  a  most 
trustworthy  boy." 

"  I  know  it — who  should  know  it  so  well  as  his 
own  father  ?"  returned  Leif ;  "  but  he  is  very  young. 
I  have  known  him  give  way  to  temptation  once  or 
twice  before  now.  He  may  have  done  it  again." 

"  I  trust  not,"  said  Karlsefin ;  "  but  come,  let  us 
make  direct  for  the  ridge,  while  the  others  continue 
the  search ;  we  can  soon  ascertain  whether  he  has 
wandered  beyond  it.  I  know  his  favourite  tree. 
Doubtless  his  footsteps  will  guide  us." 

Already  it  had  begun  to  grow  dark,  so  that  when 
they  reached  the  ridge  it  was  necessary  to  kindle 
the  torches  before  anything  could  be  ascertained. 

"  Here  are  the  footsteps,"  cried  Karlsefin,  after  a 
brief  search. 

Leif,  who  was  searching  in  another  direction, 
hurried  towards  his  friend,  torch  in  hand. 

"  See,  there  is  Olaf's  footprint  on  that  soft 
ground,"  said  Karlsefin,  moving  slowly  along,  with 
the  torch  held  low,  "  but  there  is  no  sign  of  Snorro's 
little  feet.  Olaf  always  carried  him — yet — ah !  here 
they  are  on  this  patch  of  sand,  look.  They  had 
halted  here — probably  to  rest;  perhaps  to  change 
Snorro's  position.  I  Ve  lost  them  again — no !  here 
they  are,  but  only  Olaf's.  He  must  have  lifted  the 
child  again,  no  doubt." 

"Look  here,"  cried  Leif,  who  had  again  strayed 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  251 

a  little  from  his  friend.     "  Are  not  these  footsteps 
descending  the  ridge  ?" 

Karlsefin  hastily  examined  them. 

"  They  are/'  he  cried,  "  and  then  they  go  down  to- 
wards the  wood — ay,  into  it.  Without  doubt  Olaf 
has  broken  his  promise ;  but  let  us  make  sure." 

A  careful  investigation  convinced  both  parents 
that  the  children  had  entered  that  part  of  the  forest, 
and  that  therefore  all  search  in  any  other  direction 
was  useless.  Karlsefin  immediately  re-ascended  the 
ridge,  and,  putting  both  hands  to  his  mouth,  gave 
the  peculiar  halloo  which  had  been  agreed  upon  as 
the  signal  that  some  of  the  searchers  had  either 
found  the  children  or  fallen  upon  their  tracks. 

"  You  11  have  to  give  them  another  shout,"  said 
Leif. 

Karlsefin  did  so,  and  immediately  after  a  faint 
and  very  distant  halloo  came  back  in  reply. 

"  That  'a  Biarne,"  observed  Karlsefin,  as  they  stood 
listening  intently.  "  Hist !  there  is  another." 

A  third  and  fourth  halloo  followed  quickly,  show- 
ing that  the  signal  had  been  heard  by  all ;  and  in  a 
very  short  time  the  searchers  came  hurrying  to  the 
rendezvous,  one  after  another. 

"  Have  you  found  them  ?"  was  of  course  the  first 
eager  question  of  each,  followed  by  a  falling  of  the 
countenance  when  the  reply  "No"  was  given.  But 
there  was  a  rising  of  hope  again  when  it  was  pointed 


252  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

out  that  they  must  certainly  be  in  some  part  of  the 
tract  of  dense  woodland  just  in  front  of  them.  There 
were  some  there,  however — and  these  were  the  most 
experienced  woodsmen — who  shook  their  heads  men- 
tally when  they  gazed  at  the  vast  wilderness,  which, 
in  the  deepening  gloom,  looked  intensely  black,  and 
the  depths  of  which  they  knew  must  be  as  dark  as 
Erebus  at  that  hour.  Still,  no  one  expressed  de- 
sponding feelings,  but  each  spoke  cheerfully  and 
agreed  at  once  to  the  proposed  arrangement  of  con- 
tinuing the  search  all  night  by  torchlight. 

When  the  plan  of  search  had  been  arranged,  and 
another  rendezvous  fixed,  the  various  parties  went 
out  and  searched  the  live-long  night  in  every  copse 
and  dell,  in  every  bush  and  brake,  and  on  every 
ridge  and  knoll  that  seemed  the  least  likely  to  have 
been  selected  by  the  lost  little  ones  as  a  place  of 
shelter.  But  the  forest  was  wide.  A  party  of  ten 
times  their  number  would  have  found  it  absolutely 
impossible  to  avoid  passing  many  a  dell  and  copse 
and  height  and  hollow  unawares.  Thus  it  came  to 
pass  that  although  they  were  once  or  twice  pretty 
near  the  cave  where  the  children  were  sleeping,  they 
did  not  find  it.  Moreover,  the  ground  in  places  was 
very  hard,  so  that,  although  they  more  than  once 
discovered  faint  tracks,  they  invariably  lost  them 
again  in  a  few  minutes.  They  shouted  lustily,  too, 
as  they  went  along,  but  to  two  such  sleepers  as  Olaf 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  253 

and  Snorro  in  their  exhausted  condition,  their  wildest 
shouts  were  but  as  the  whisperings  of  a  sick  mos- 
quito. 

Gradually  the  searchers  wandered  farther  and 
farther  away  from  the  spot,  until  they  were  out  of 
sight  and  hearing. 

We  say  sight  and  hearing,  because,  though  the 
children  were  capable  of  neither  at  that  time,  there 
was  in  that  wood  an  individual  who  was  particu- 
larly sharp  in  regard  to  both.  This  was  a  scout  of 
a  party  of  natives  who  chanced  to  be  travelling 
in  that  neighbourhood  at  the  time.  The  man — 
who  had  a  reddish-brown  body  partially  clad  in  a 
deer-skin,  glittering  black  eyes,  and  very  stiff  wiry 
black  hair,  besides  uncommonly  strong  and  long 
white  teeth,  in  excellent  order — chanced  to  have 
taken  up  his  quarters  for  the  night  under  a  tree  on 
the  top  of  a  knolL  When,  in  the  course  of  his 
slumbers,  he  became  aware  of  the  fact  that  a  body 
of  men  were  going  about  the  woods  with  flaring 
torches  and  shouting  like  maniacs,  he  awoke,  not 
with  a  start,  or  any  such  ridiculous  exclamation  as 
"  Ho  !"  "  Ha  !"  or  "  Hist !"  but  with  the  mild  opera- 
tion of  opening  his  saucer-like  eyes  until  they  were 
at  their  widest.  No  evil  resulting  from  this  cautious 
course  of  action,  he  ventured  to  raise  his  head  an 
inch  off  the  ground — which  was  his  rather  exten- 
sive pillow — then  another  inch  and  another,  until 


254  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

lie  found  himself  resting  on  his  elbow  and  craning 
his  neck  over  a  low  bush.  Being  almost  black,  and 
quite  noiseless, -he  might  have  been  mistaken  for  a 
slowly-moving  shadow. 

Gradually  he  gained  his  knees,  then  his  feet,  and 
then,  peering  into  space,  he  observed  Biarne  and 
Krake,  with  several  others,  ascending  the  knoll 

For  the  shadow  to  sink  again  to  its  knees,  slope 
to  its  elbows,  recline  on  its  face,  and  glide  into  the 
heart  of  a  thick  bush  and  disappear,  did  not  seem  at 
all  difficult  or  unnatural.  At  any  rate  that  is  what 
it  did,  and  there  it  remained  observing  all  that 
passed. 

"  Ho  !  hallo  !  Olaf !  Snorro  !  hi— i— i !"  shouted 
Biarne  on  reaching  the  summit  of  the  knoll. 

"  Hooroo !"  yelled  Krake,  in  a  tone  that  must 
have  induced  the  shadow  to  take  him  for  a  half- 
brother. 

"  Nothing  here/'  said  Biarne,  holding  up  the  torch 
and  peering  round  in  all  directions. 

"  Nothing  whatever,"  responded  Krake. 

He  little  knew  at  the  time  that  the  shadow  was 
displaying  his  teeth,  and  loosening  in  its  sheath  a 
long  knife  or  dagger  made  of  bone,  which,  from  the 
spot  where  he  lay,  he  could  have  launched  with 
unerring  certainty  into  the  heart  of  any  of  those 
who  stood  before  him.  It  is  well  for  man  that  he 
sometimes  does  not  know  what  might  be ! 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  255 

After  a  brief  inspection  of  the  knoll,  and  another 
shout  or  two,  they  descended  again  into  the  brake 
and  pushed  on.  The  shadow  rose  and  followed  until 
he  reached  a  height  whence  he  could  see  that  the 
torch-bearers  had  wandered  far  away  to  the  west- 
ward. As  the  friends  and  relatives  for  whom  he 
acted  the  part  of  scout  were  encamped  away  to  the 
eastward,  he  returned  to  his  tree  and  continued  his 
nap  till  daybreak,  when  he  arose  and  shook  him- 
self, yawned  and  scratched  his  head.  Evidently  he 
pondered  the  occurrences  of  the  night,  and  felt  con- 
vinced that  if  so  many  strange  men  went  about  look- 
ing for  something  with  so  much  care  and  anxiety,  it 
must  undoubtedly  be  something  that  was  worth 
looking  for.  Acting  on  this  idea  he  began  to  look. 

Now,  it  must  be  well  known  to  most  people  that 
savages  are  rather  smart  fellows  at  making  observa- 
tions on  things  in  general  and  drawing  conclusions 
therefrom.  The  shouts  led  him  to  believe  that  lost 
human  beings  were  being  sought  for.  Daylight 
enabled  him  to  see  little  feet  which  darkness  had 
concealed  from  the  Norsemen,  whence  he  concluded 
that  children  were  being  sought  for.  Following  out 
his  clue,  with  that  singular  power  of  following  a  trail 
for  which  savages  are  noted,  he  came  to  the  cave, 
and  peered  through  the  bushes  with  his  great  eyes, 
pounced  upon  the  sleepers,  and  had  his  pug  nose 


256  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

converted  into  a  Eoman — all  as  related  in  the  last 
chapter. 

Sometime  after  sunrise  the  various  searching 
parties  assembled  at  the  place  of  rendezvous — 
fagged,  dispirited,  and  hungry. 

"  Come,"  said  Karlsefin,  who  would  not  permit 
his  feelings  to  influence  his  conduct,  "  we  must  not 
allow  ourselves  to  despond  at  little  more  than  the 
beginning  of  our  search.  We  will  breakfast  here, 
lads,  and  then  return  to  the  ridge  where  we  first 
saw  their  footsteps.  Daylight  will  enable  us  to 
track  them  more  easily.  Thank  God  the  weather 
is  warm,  and  I  daresay  if  they  kept  well  under  cover 
of  the  trees,  the  dear  children  may  have  got  no 
harm  from  exposure.  They  have  not  been  fasting 
very  long,  so — let  us  to  work." 

Leif  and  Biarne  both  fell  in  with  Karlsefin's 
humour,  and  cheered  the  spirits  of  the  men  by  their 
tone  and  example,  so  that  when  the  hurried  meal 
was  finished  they  felt  much  refreshed,  and  ready  to 
begin  the  work  of  another  day. 

It  was  past  noon  before  they  returned  to  the 
ridge  and  began  the  renewed  search.  Daylight  now 
enabled  them  to  trace  the  little  footsteps  with  more 
certainty,  and  towards  the  afternoon  they  came  to 
the  cave  where  the  children  had  slept. 

"  Here  have  they  spent  the  night,"  said  Leif,  with 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  257 

breathless  interest,  as  lie  and  Karlsefin  examined 
every  corner  of  the  place. 

"  But  they  are  gone,"  returned  the  other,  "  and  it 
behoves  us  to  waste  no  time.  Go,  Biarne,  let  the 
men  spread  out — stay ! — Is  not  this  the  foot  of  a 
man  who  wears  a  shoe  somewhat  different  from 
ours?" 

"  'Tis  a  savage,"  said  Biarne,  in  a  tone  of  great 
anxiety. 

Karlsefin  made  no  reply,  and  the  party  being  now 
concentrated,  they  followed  eagerly  on,  finding  the 
prints  of  the  feet  quite  plain  in  many  places. 

"  Unquestionably  they  have  been  captured  by  a 
savage,"  said  Leu01. 

"Ay,  and  he  must  have  taken  Snorro  on  his 
shoulder,  and  made  poor  Olaf  walk  alongside,"  ob- 
served Biarne. 

Following  the  trail  with  the  perseverance  and 
certainty  of  blood-hounds,  they  at  last  came  to  the 
deserted  encampment  on  the  banks  of  the  rivulet. 
That  it  had  been  forsaken  only  a  short  time  before 
was  apparent  from  the  circumstance  of  the  embers 
of  the  fires  still  smoking.  They  examined  the 
place  closely  and  found  the  little  foot-marks  of  the 
children,  which  were  quite  distinguishable  from 
those  of  the  native  children  by  the  difference  in 
the  form  of  the  shoes.  Soon  they  came  to  marks 
on  the  bank  of  the  stream  which  indicated  unmis- 

R 


258        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

takeably  that  canoes  had  been  launched  there.  And 
now,  for  the  first  time,  the  countenances  of  Leif  and 
Karlsefin  fell. 

"  You  think  there  is  no  hope  ?"  asked  the  latter. 

"  I  won't  say  that,"  replied  Leif ;  "  but  we  know 
not  what  course  they  have  taken,  and  we  cannot 
follow  them  on  foot." 

"True,"  observed  Karlsefin,  in  bitter  despond- 
ency. 

"  The  case  is  not  so  bad,"  observed  Heika,  step- 
ping forward  at  this  point.  "  You  know  we  have  a 
number  of  canoes  captured  from  the  savages ;  some  of 
us  have  become  somewhat  expert  in  the  management 
of  these.  Let  a  few  of  us  go  back  and  fetch  them 
hither  on  our  shoulders,  with  provisions  for  a  long 
journey,  and  we  shall  soon  be  in  a  position  to  give 
chase.  They  cannot  have  gone  far  yet,  and  we  shall 
be  sure  to  overtake  them,  for  what  we  lack  in  ex- 
perience shall  be  more  than  made  up  by  the  strength 
of  our  arms  and  wills." 

u  Thou  art  a  good  counsellor,  Heika,"  said  Karl- 
sefin, with  a  sad  smile ;  "  I  will  follow  that  advice. 
Go  thou  and  Hake  back  to  the  huts  as  fast  as  may 
be,  and  order  the  home-guard  to  make  all  needful 
preparation.  Some  of  us  will  follow  in  thy  steps 
more  leisurely,  and  others  will  remain  here  to  rest 
until  you  return  with  the  canoes." 

Thus  directed  the  brothers  turned  their  powers 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  259 

of  speed  to  good  account,  so  that  when  some  of 
their  comrades  returned  foot-sore  and  jaded  for  want 
of  rest,  they  not  only  found  that  everything  was 
ready  for  a  start,  but  that  a  good  meal  had  been 
prepared  for  them. 

While  these  remained  in  the  settlement  to  rest 
and  protect  it,  the  home-guards  were  ordered  to  get 
ready  for  immediate  service.  Before  night  had 
closed  in,  the  brothers,  with  torches  in  their  hands, 
headed  a  party  of  fresh  men  carrying  three  canoes 
and  provisions  on  their  shoulders.  They  reached 
the  encampment  again  in  the  early  morning,  and  by 
daybreak  all  was  ready  for  a  start.  Karlsefin,  Thor- 
ward,  and  Heika  acted  as  steersmen ;  Krake,  Tyr- 
ker,  and  Hake  filled  the  important  posts  of  bowmen. 
Besides  these  there  were  six  men  in  each  canoe,  so 
that  the  entire  party  numbered  twenty-four  strong 
men,  fully  armed  with  bow  and  arrow,  sword  and 
shield,  and  provisioned  for  a  lengthened  voyage. 

"  Farewell,  friends/'  said  Karlsefin  to  those  who 
stood  on  the  banks  of  the  little  stream.  "  It  may 
be  that  we  shall  never  return  from  this  enterprise. 
You  may  rest  assured  that  we  will  either  rescue 
the  children  or  perish  in  the  attempt.  Leif  and 
Biarne  have  agreed  to  remain  in  charge  of  the 
settlement.  They  are  good  men  and  true,  and 
well  able  to  guide  and  advise  you.  Tell  Gudrid 
that  my  last  thoughts  shall  be  of  her — if  I  do  not 


260  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST. 

return.  But  I  do  not  anticipate  failure,  for  the 
God  of  the  Christians  is  with  us. — Farewell" 

"  Farewell,"  responded  the  Norsemen  on  the  bank, 
waving  their  hands  as  the  canoes  shot  out  into  the 
stream. 

In  a  few  minutes  they  reached  the  great  river,  and, 
turning  up-stream,  were  soon  lost  to  view  in  the 
depths  of  the  wide  wilderness. 


CHAPTEK   XIX. 

NEW  EXPERIENCES— DIFFICULTIES  ENCOUNTERED  AND  OVERCOME— 
THORWARD  AND  TYRKER  MAKE  A  JOINT  EFFORT,  WITH  HUMBLING 
RESULTS. 

IT  may  be  as  well  to  remark  here,  that  the  Norse- 
men were  not  altogether  ignorant  of  the  course  of 
the  great  river  on  which  they  had  now  embarked. 
During  their  sojourn  in  those  regions  they  had,  as 
we  have  said,  sent  out  many  exploring  parties,  and 
were  pretty  well  acquainted  with  the  nature  of  the 
country  within  fifty  miles  or  so  in  all  directions. 
These  expeditions,  however,  had  been  conducted 
chiefly  on  land ;  only  one  of  them  by  water. 

That  one  consisted  of  a  solitary  canoe,  manned 
by  four  men,  of  whom  Heika  was  steersman,  while 
Hake  managed  the  bow-paddle,  these  having  proved 
themselves  of  all  the  party  the  most  apt  to  learn 
the  use  of  the  paddle  and  management  of  the  canoe. 
During  the  fight  with  the  savages,  recorded  in  a 
previous  chapter,  the  brothers  had  observed  that  the 
man  who  sat  in  the  bow  was  of  quite  as  much  im- 
portance in  regard  to  steering  as  he  who  sat  in  the 

801 


2C2  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

stern ;  and  when  they  afterwards  ascended  the  river, 
and  found  it  necessary  to  shoot  hither  and  thither 
amongst  the  surges,  cross-currents,  and  eddies  of  a 
rapid,  they  then  discovered  that  simple  steering  at 
one  end  of  their  frail  bark  would  not  suffice,  but 
that  it  was  necessary  to  steer,  as  it  were,  at  both 
ends.  Sometimes,  in  order  to  avoid  a  stone,  or  a 
dangerous  whirlpool,  or  a  violent  shoot,  it  became 
necessary  to  turn  the  canoe  almost  on  its  centre,  as 
on  a  pivot,  or  at  least  within  its  own  length  ;  and  in 
order  to  accomplish  this,  the  steersman  had  to  dip 
his  paddle  as  far  out  to  one  side  as  possible,  to  draw 
the  stern  in  that  direction,  while  the  bowman  did 
the  same  on  the  opposite  side,  and  drew  the  bow 
the  other  way — thus  causing  the  light  craft  to  spin 
round  almost  instantly.  The  two  guiding  men  thus 
acted  in  unison,  and  it  was  only  by  thoroughly 
understanding  each,  other,  in  all  conceivable  situa- 
tions, that  good  and  safe  steering  could  be  achieved. 
The  canoes  which  had  been  captured  from  the 
savages  were  frail  barks  in  the  most  literal  sense  of 
these  words.  They  were  made  of  the  bark  of  the 
birch-tree,  a  substance  which,  though  tough,  was 
very  easily  sp]it,  insomuch  that  a  single  touch  upon 
a  stone  was  sufficient  to  cause  a  bad  leak.  Hence 
the  utmost  care  was  required  in  their  navigation. 
But  although  thus  easily  damaged  they  were  also 
easily  repaired,  the  materials  for  reparation — or 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  263 

even,  if  necessary,  reconstruction — being  always  at 
hand  in  the  forest. 

Now  although  Heika  and  his  brother  were,  as  we 
have  said,  remarkably  expert,  it  does  not  follow  that 
those  were  equally  so  who  managed  the  other  two 
canoes  of  the  expedition.  On  the  contrary,  their 
experience  in  canoeing  had  hitherto  been  slight. 
Karlsefm  and  his  bowman  Krake  were  indeed  toler- 
ably expert,  having  practised  a  good  deal  with  the 
Scottish  brothers,  but  Thorward  turned  out  to  be  an 
uncommonly  bad  canoe-man ;  nevertheless,  with  the 
self-confidence  natural  to  a  good  seaman,  and  one 
who  was  expert  with  the  oar,  he  scouted  the  idea 
that  anything  connected  with  fresh-water  voyaging 
could  prove  difficult  to  him,  and  resolutely  claimed 
and  took  his  position  as  one  of  the  steersmen  of  the 
expedition.  His  bowman,  Tyrker,  as  ill  luck  would 
have  it,  turned  out  to  be  the  worst  man  of  them  all 
in  rough  water,  although  he  had  shown  himself  suffi- 
ciently good  on  the  smooth  lake  to  induce  the  belief 
that  he  might  do  well  enough. 

But  their  various  powers  in  this  respect  were  not 
at  first  put  to  the  test,  because  for  a  very  long  way 
the  river  was  uninterrupted  by  rapids,  and  progress 
was  therefore  comparatively  easy.  The  scenery 
through  which  they  passed  was  rich  and  varied  in 
the  extreme.  At  one  part  the  river  ran  between 
high  banks,  which  were  covered  to  the  water's  edge 


264        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

with  trees  and  bushes  of  different  kinds,  many  of 
them  being  exceedingly  brilliant  in  colour.  At 
another  part  the  banks  were  lower,  with  level  spaces 
like  lawns,  and  here  and  there  little  openings  where 
rivulets  joined  the  river,  their  beds  affording  far- 
reaching  glimpses  of  woodland,  in  which  deer  might 
occasionally  be  seen  gambolling.  Elsewhere  the 
river  widened  occasionally  into  something  like  a 
lake,  with  wooded  islets  on  its  calm  surface,  while 
everywhere  the  water,  earth,  and  air  teemed  with 
animal  life — fish,  flesh,  fowl,  and  insect.  It  was 
such  a  sight  of  God's  beautiful  earth  as  may  still 
be  witnessed  by  those  who,  leaving  the  civilized 
world  behind,  plunge  into  the  vast  wildernesses  that 
exist  to  this  day  in  North  America. 

Beautiful  though  it  was,  however,  the  Norsemen 
had  small  leisure  and  not  much  capacity  to  admire 
it,  being  pre-occupied  and  oppressed  by  anxiety  as 
to  the  fate  of  the  children.  Still,  in  spite  of  this,  a 
burst  of -admiration  would  escape  them  ever  and 
anon  as  they  passed  rapidly  along. 

The  first  night  they  came  to  the  spot  where  the 
natives  had  encamped  the  night  before,  and  all 
hands  were  very  sanguine  of  overtaking  them  quickly. 
They  went  about  the  encampment  examining  every- 
thing, stirring  up  the  embers  of  the  fires,  which  were 
still  hot,  and  searching  for  little  footprints. 

Hake's  unerring  bow  had  supplied  the  party  with 


OR  AMERICA.  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  265 

fresh  venison  and  some  wild-geese.  While  they  sat 
over  the  fires  that  night  roasting  steaks  and  enjoying 
marrow-bones,  they  discussed  their  prospects. 

"  They  have  got  but  a  short  start  of  us,"  said 
Karlsefin,  looking  thoughtfully  into  the  fire,  before 
which  he  reclined  on  a  couch  of  pine- branches, 
"  and  if  we  push  on  with  vigour,  giving  ourselves 
only  just  sufficient  repose  to  keep  up  our  strength, 
we  shall  be  sure  to  overtake  them  in  a  day  or  two." 

"  It  may  be  so,"  said  Thorward,  with  a  doubtful 
shake  of  the  head  ;  "  but  you  know,  brother,  that  a 
stern  chase  is  usually  a  long  one." 

Thorward  was  one  of  those  unfortunate  men  who 
get  the  credit  of  desiring  to  throw  wet  blankets  and 
cold  water  upon  everything,  whereas,  poor  man,  his 
only  fault  was  a  tendency  to  view  things  critically, 
so  as  to  avoid  the  evil  consequences  of  acting  on  the 
impulse  of  an  over-sanguine  temperament.  Thor- 
ward was  a  safe  adviser,  but  was  not  a  pleasant  one, 
to  those  who  regard  all  objection  as  opposition,  and 
who  don't  like  to  look  difficulties  full  in  the  face. 
However,  there  is  no  question  that  it  would  have 
been  better  for  him,  sometimes,  if  he  had  been  gifted 
with  the  power  of  holding  his  tongue  ! 

His  friend  Karlsefin,  however,  fully  appreciated 
and  understood  him. 

"  True,"  said  he,  with  a  quiet  smile,  "  as  you  say, 
a  stern  chase  is  a  long  one ;  nevertheless  we  are  not 


266  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

far  astern,  and  that  is  what  I  count  on  for  short- 
ening the  chase." 

"  That  is  a  just  remark/'  said  Thorward  gravely, 
applying  a  marrow-bone  to  his  lips,  and  drinking 
the  semi-liquid  fat  therefrom  as  if  from  a  cup ;  "  but 
I  think  you  might  make  it  (this  is  most  excellent 
marrow  !)  a  still  shorter  chase  if  you  would  take  my 
advice. — Ho  !  Krake,  hand  me  another  marrow-bone. 
It  seems  to  me  that  Vinland  deer  have  a  peculiar 
sweetness,  which  is  not  so  obvious  in  those  of  Nor- 
way, though  perchance  it  is  hunger  which  gives  the 
relish;  and  yet  can  I  truly  say  that  I  have  been 
hungered  in  Norway.  However,  I  care  not  to  in- 
vestigate reasons  too  closely  while  I  am  engaged  in 
the  actual  practice  of  consumption." 

Here  he  put  another  marrow-bone  to  his  lips,  and 
sucked  out  the  contents  with  infinite  gusto. 

"  And  what  may  your  advice  be  ?"  asked  his 
friend,  laughing. 

"  I  '11  wager  that  Hake  could  tell  you  if  his  mouth 
were  not  too  full,"  replied  Thorward,  with  a  smile. 
"  Say,  thou  thrall,  before  refilling  that  capacious 
cavern,  what  had  best  be  done  in  order  to  increase 
our  speed  ?" 

Hake  checked  a  piece  of  wild-fowl  on  its  passage 
to  his  mouth,  and,  after  a  moment's  consideration, 
replied  that  in  his  opinion  lightening  the  load  of  the 
canoe  was  the  best  thing  to  be  done. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  267 

"  And  say,"  continued  Thorward,  beginning  to  a 
large  drumstick,  "  how  may  that  be  done  ?" 

"  By  leaving  our  provisions  behind,"  answered 
Hake. 

"  Ha !  did  not  I  say  that  he  could  tell  you  ?" 
growled  Thorward  between  his  teeth,  which  were  at 
that  moment  conflicting  with  the  sinewy  part  of  the 
drumstick. 

"  There  is  something  in  that,"  remarked  Karlsefin. 

"Something  in  it!"  exclaimed  Thorward,  resting 
for  a  moment  from  his  labours  in  order  to  wash  all 
down  with  a  cataract  of  water ;  "  why,  there  is 
everything  in  it.  Who  ever  heard  of  a  man  running 
a  race  with  a  full  stomach — much  less  winning  it  ? 
If  we  would  win  we  must  voyage  light;  besides, 
what  need  is  there  to  carry  salt  salmon  and  dried 
flesh  with  us  when  the  woods  are  swarming  with 
such  as  these,  and  when  we  have  a  man  in  our  com- 
pany who  can  bring  down  a  magpie  on  the  wing  ?" 

"  And  that 's  true,  if  anything  ever  was,"  observed 
Krake,  who  had  been  too  busy  up  to  that  point  to 
do  more  than  listen. 

Hake  nodded  his  approval  of  the  sentiment,  and 
Karlsefin  said  that  he  quite  agreed  with  it,  and 
would  act  upon  the  advice  next  day. 

"  Just  take  a  very  little  salmon,"  suggested  Tyrker, 
with  a  sigh,  "  for  fear  this  good  fortune  should  per- 
haps come  suddenly  to  an  end." 


268  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

There  was  a  general  laugh  at  Tyrker's  caution, 
and  Karlsefin  said  he  was  at  liberty  to  fill  his 
own  pockets  with  salmon  for  his  own  use,  if  he 
chose. 

"  Sure  it  would  be  much  better,"  cried  Krake,  "  to 
eat  a  week's  allowance  all  at  once,  and  so  save  time 
and  trouble." 

"  If  I  had  your  stomach,  Krake,  I  might  try  that," 
retorted  Tyrker,  "  but  mine  is  not  big  enough." 

"  Well,  now,"  returned  Krake,  "  if  you  only  con- 
tinue to  over-eat  for  a  week  or  two,  as  you  're  doing 
just  now,  you'll  find  it  big  enough — and  more  !" 

"  We  must  sleep  to-night,  and  not  talk,"  said 
Karlsefin  gravely,  for  he  saw  that  the  dispute  was 
likely  to  wax  hot. — "  Come,  get  you  all  to  rest.  I 
will  call  you  two  hours  hence." 

Every  man  of  the  expedition  was  sound  asleep  in 
a  few  minutes  after  that,  with  the  exception  of  their 
leader,  who  was  to  keep  the  first  half-hour  watch — 
Thorward,  Heika,  and  Hake  being  appointed  to  re- 
lieve him  and  each  other  in  succession. 

The  moon  was  shining  brightly  when  the  two 
hours  had  elapsed.  This  was  very  fortunate,  be- 
cause they  expected  to  arrive  at  the  rapids  ere  long, 
and  would  require  light  to  ascend  them.  Owing 
to  recent  heavy  rains,  however,  the  current  was  so 
strong  that  they  did  not  reach  the  rapids  till  sunrise. 
Before  starting,  they  had  buried  all  their  provisions 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  269 

in  such  a  way  that  they  might  be  dug  tip  and  used, 
if  necessary,  on  their  return. 

"  'Tis  as  well  that  we  have  daylight  here,"  ob- 
served Karlsefin,  as  he,  Thorward,  and  Hake  stood 
on  a  rocky  part  of  the  bank  just  below  the  rapids, 
and  surveyed  the  place  before  making  the  attempt. 

It  might  have  been  observed  that  Thorward's  face 
expressed  some  unusual  symptoms  of  feeling  as  he 
looked  up  the  river  and  saw  there  nothing  but  a 
turbulent  mass  of  heaving  surges  dashing  themselves 
wildly  against  sharp  forbidding  rocks,  which  at  one 
moment  were  grinning  like  black  teeth  amidst  the 
white  foam,  and  the  next  were  overwhelmed  by  the 
swelling  billows. 

"  You  don't  mean  to  say  we  have  to  go  up  that 
maelstrom  ?"  he  said,  pointing  to  the  river,  and  look- 
ing at  Hake. 

"  I  would  there  were  any  other  road,"  answered 
Hake,  smiling,  "  but  truly  I  know  of  none.  The 
canoes  are  light,  and  might  be  carried  by  land  to 
the  still  water  above  the  rapids,  but,  as  you  see,  the 
banks  here  are  sheer  up  and  down  without  foothold 
for  a  crow,  and  if  we  try  to  go  round  by  the  woods 
on  either  side,  we  shall  have  a  march  of  ten  miles 
through  such  a  country  that  the  canoes  will  be  torn 
to  pieces  before  the  journey  is  completed." 

"  Have  you  and  Heika  ever  ascended  that  mad 
stream  ?"  asked  Thorward. 


270  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"  Ay— twice." 

"  Without  overturning  ?" 

"  Yes — without  overturning." 

Again  Thorward  bestowed  on  the  river  a  long 
silent  gaze,  and  his  countenance  wore  an  expression 
of  blank  surprise,  which  was  so  amusing  that  Karl- 
serin  forgot  for  a  moment  the  anxiety  that  oppressed 
him,  and  burst  into  a  hearty  fit  of  laughter. 

"  Ye  have  little  to  laugh  at,"  said  Thorward 
gravely.  "  It  is  all  very  well  to  talk  of  seamanship 
— and,  truly,  if  you  will  give  me  a  good  boat  with  a 
stout  pair  of  oars,  and  the  roughest  sea  you  ever 
saw,  I  will  show  you  what  I  can  do — but  who  ever 
heard  of  a  man  going  afloat  in  an  egg-shell  on  a 
monstrous  kettle  of  boiling  water  ?" 

"  Why,  Hake  says  he  has  done  it,"  said  Karl- 
sefin. 

"  When  I  see  him  do  it  I  will  believe  it,"  replied 
Thorward  doggedly. 

"  You  will  not,  I  suppose,  object  to  follow,  if  I 
lead  the  way?"  asked  Hake. 

"  Go  to,  thrall!  Dost  think  I  am  afraid?"  said 
Thorward  sternly ;  and  then,  as  if  he  thought  such 
talk  trifling,  turned  on  his  heel  with  a  light  laugh, 
and  was  about  to  descend  the  bank  of  the  river  to 
the  spot  where  the  men  stood  in  a  group  near  the 
canoes,  when  Karlsefin  called  him  back. 

"  Softly,  not   so  fast, .  Thorward.     Although  no 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  271 

doubt  we  are  valiant  sailors — and  woe  betide  the 
infatuated  man  who  shall  venture  to  deny  it ! — yet 
must  we  put  our  pride  in  our  pouches  for  once,  and 
accept  instruction  from  Hake.  After  all,  it  is  said 
that  wise  men  may  learn  something  from  babes — if 
so,  why  may  not  sea-kings  learn  from  thralls? — 
unless,  indeed,  we  be  not  up  to  the  mark  of  wise 
men." 

"  I  am  all  attention/'  said  Thorward. 

"  This,  then,"  said  Hake,  pointing  to  a  large  rock 
in  the  middle  of  the  stream,  "is  the  course  you 
must  pursue,  if  ye  would  reach  the  upper  end  of  the 
rapid  in  a  dry  skin.  See  you  yonder  rock — the 
largest — where  the  foam  breaks  most  fiercely,  as  if 
in  wrath  because  it  cannot  overleap  it  ?  Well,  that 
is  our  first  resting-place.  If  you  follow  my  finger 
closely,  you  will  see,  near  the  foot  of  the  rapid,  two 
smaller  rocks,  one  below  the  other  ;  they  only  show 
now  and  then  as  the  surges  rise  and  fall,  but  each 
has  an  eddy,  or  a  tail  of  smooth  water  below  it.  Do 
you  see  them  ?" 

"  I  see,  I  see,"  cried  Thorward,  becoming  inter- 
ested in  spite  of  himself ;  "  but,  truly,  if  thou  callest 
that  part  of  the  river  smooth  and  a  'tail/  I  hope 
I  may  never  fall  into  the  clutches  of  the  smooth 
animal  to  which  that  tail  belongs." 

"  It  is  smooth  compared  with  the  rest,"  continued 
Hake,  "  and  has  a  back-draught  which  will  enable 


272        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

us  to  rest  there  a  moment.  You  will  observe  that 
the  stone  above  has  also  a  tail,  the  end  of  which 
comes  quite  down  to  the  head  of  the  tail  below. 
Well,  then,  you  must  make  such  a  bold  dash  at  the 
rapid  that  you  shall  reach  the  lower  eddy.  That 
gained,  the  men  will  rest  a  space  and  breathe,  but 
not  cease  paddling  altogether,  else  will  you  be 
carried  down  again.  Then  make  a  dash  into  the 
stream  and  paddle  might  and  main  till  you  reach 
the  eddy  above.  You  will  thus  have  advanced 
about  thirty  yards,  and  be  in  a  position  to  make 
a  dash  for  the  long  eddy  that  extends  from  the  big 
rock." 

"That  is  all  very  plain,"  observed  Thorward; 
"  but  does  it  not  seem  to  you,  Hake,  that  the  best 
way  to  explain  matters  would  be  to  go  and  ascend 
while  we  look  on  and  learn  a  lesson  through  our 
eyes  ?" 

"  I  am  ready,"  was  the  youth's  brief  reply ;  for  he 
was  a  little  hurt  by  the  seaman's  tone  and  manner. 

"  Thorward  is  right,  Hake,"  said  Karlsefin.  "  Go, 
take  your  own  canoe  up.  We  will  watch  you  from 
this  spot,  and  follow  if  all  goes  well." 

The  young  Scot  at  once  sprang  down  the  bank, 
and  in  a  few  minutes  his  canoe  with  its  six  men, 
and  Heika  steering,  shot  out  from  the  bank  towards 
the  rapid. 

All  tendency  to  jest  forsook  Thorward,  as  he 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  273 

stood  beside  his  friend  on  the  cliff  with  compressed 
lips  and  frowning  brow,  gazing  upon  the  cork-like 
vessel  which  danced  upon  the  troubled  waters.  In  a 
minute  it  was  at  the  foot  of  the  broken  water.  Then 
Heika's  voice  rose  above  the  roar  of  the  stream,  as 
he  gave  a  shout  and  urged  on  his  men.  The  canoe 
sprang  into  the  boiling  flood.  It  appeared  to  re- 
main stationary,  while  the  men  struggled  might  and 
main. 

"Tis  too  strong  for  them!"  cried  Thorward,  be- 
coming excited. 

"  No ;  they  advance !"  said  Karlsefin  in  a  deep, 
earnest  tone. 

This  was  true,  but  their  progress  was  very  small. 
Gradually  they  overcame  the  power  of  the  stream 
and  shot  into  the  first  eddy,  amid  the  cheers  of  their 
comrades  on  shore.  Here  they  waited  only  a  moment 
or  two,  and  then  made  a  dash  for  the  second  eddy. 
There  was  a  shout  of  disappointment  from  the  men, 
because  they  swept  down  so  fast  that  it  seemed  as 
if  all  the  distance  gained  had  been  lost ;  but  sud- 
denly the  canoe  was  caught  by  the  extreme  tail  of 
the  eddy,  the  downward  motion  of  its  bow  was 
stopped,  it  was  turned  straight  up-stream,  and  they 
paddled  easily  towards  the  second  rock.  Another 
brief  pause  was  made  here,  and  then  a  dash  was 
made  for  the  eddy  below  the  large  rock.  This  was 
more  easily  gained,  but  the  turbulence  of  the  water 

s 


274:  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

was  so  great  that  there  was  much  more  danger  in 
crossing  from  one  eddy  to  the  other  than  there  had 
been  before. 

Under  the  large  rock  they  rested  for  a  few  minutes, 
and  then,  dashing  out  into  the  rapid,  renewed  the 
struggle.  Thus,  yard  by  yard,  taking  advantage  of 
every  available  rock  and  eddy,  they  surmounted  the 
difficulty  and  landed  at  the  head  of  the  rapids,  where 
they  waved  their  caps  to  their  friends  below. 

"  It 's  Krake  that  wishes  he  was  there  ! "  observed 
that  worthy,  wiping  the  perspiration  from  his  brow 
and  drawing  a  long  deep  breath  ;  for  the  mere  sight 
of  the  struggle  had  excited  him  almost  as  much  as  if 
he  had  engaged  in  it. 

"  'Tis  Krake  that  will  soon  be  there  if  all  goes 
well,"  remarked  Karlsefin,  with  a  laugh,  as  he  came 
forward  and  ordered  his  canoe  to  be  pushed  off. 
"I  will  be  ready  to  follow,  but  you  had  better  go 
first,  Thorward.  If  anything  befalls  you  I  am  here 
to  aid." 

"  Well,  come  along,  lads,"  cried  Thorward.  "  Get 
into  the  bow,  Tyrker,  and  see  that  you  do  your  duty 
like  a  man.  Much  depends  on  you — more's  the 
pity  !"  He  added  the  last  words  in  a  low  voice,  for 
Thorward,  being  a  very  self-reliant  man,  would  like 
to  have  performed  all  the  duties  himself,  had  that 
been  possible. 

"Shove  off!" 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  275' 

They  shot  from  the  bank  and  made  for  the  rapid 
gallantly.  Thorward's  shout  quite  eclipsed  that  of 
Heika  on  taking  the  rapid.  Truly,  if  strength  of 
lung  could  have  done  it,  he  might  have  taken  his 
canoe  up  single-handed^  for  he  roared  like  a  bull  of 
Bashan  when  Tyrker  missed  a  stroke  of  his  paddle, 
thereby  letting  the  bow  sweep  round  so  that  the 
canoe  was  carried  back  to  the  point  whence  it  had 
started. 

Tremendous  was  the  roar  uttered  by  Thorward 
when  they  faced  the  rapid  the  second  time,  and 
fierce  was  the  struggle  of  the  men  when  in  it,  and 
anxious  was  Tyrker  to  redeem  his  error — so  anxious, 
in  fact,  that  he  missed  another  stroke  and  well-nigh 
fell  overboard ! 

It  is  said  that  "  Fortune  favours  the  brave." 
There  was  no  lack  of  bravery  in  Tyrker — only  lack 
of  experience  and  coolness — and  Fortune  favoured 
him  on  this  occasion.  If  he  had  not  missed  a  stroke 
and  fallen  forward,  his  miscalculation  of  aqueous 
forces  would  have  sent  the  canoe  past  the  mark  in 
the  opposite  direction  from  the  last  time;  but  the 
missed  stroke  was  the  best  stroke  of  all,  for  it  allowed 
the  canoe  to  shoot  into  the  first  eddy,  and  converted 
a  terrific  roar  of  wrath  from  Thorward  into  a  hearty 
cheer. 

Besting  a  few  moments,  as  Heika  and  his  crew  had 
done,  they  then  addressed  themselves  to  the  second 


276  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

part  of  the  rapid.  Here  Thorward  steered  so  well 
that  the  canoe  took  the  stream  at  the  proper  angle  ; 
but  Tyrker,  never  having  perceived  what  the  right 
angle  was,  and  strongly  impressed  with  the  belief 
that  the  bow  was  pointing  too  much  up  the  river, 
made  a  sudden  stroke  on  the  wrong  side  !  The 
canoe  instantly  flew  not  only  to  the  tail  of  the  eddy, 
but  right  across  it  into  the  wild  surges  beyond, 
where  it  was  all  but  upset,  first  to  one  side  then  to 
the  other,  after  which  it  spun  round  like  a  tee- 
totum, and  was  carried  with  fearful  violence  towards 
one  of  those  rocky  ridges  which  we  have  described 
as  being  alternately  covered  and  uncovered  by  the 
foam.  On  the  crest  of  a  bulging  cascade  they  were 
fortunately  borne  right  over  this  ridge,  which  next 
moment  showed  its  black  teeth,  as  if  grinning  at 
the  dire  mischief  it  might  have  done  if  it  had  only 
chosen  to  bite !  Next  instant  the  canoe  overturned, 
and  left  the  men  to  flounder  to  land,  while  it 
went  careering  down  towards  the  gravelly  shallows 
below. 

Now  Karlsefin  had  anticipated  this,  and  was  pre- 
pared for  it.  In  the  first  place,  he  had  caused  the 
arms,  etc.,  to  be  removed  from  Thorward's  canoe  before 
it  set  out,  saying  that  he  would  carry  them  up  in  his 
canoe,  so  that  his  friend's  might  go  light.  Then, 
having  his  vessel  ready  and  manned,  he  at  once 
pushed  out  and  intercepted  the  other  canoe  before 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  277 

it  reached  the  gravelly  shallows,  where  it  would  have 
been  much  damaged,  if  not  dashed  to  pieces. 

"That  is  bad  luck/'  observed  Thorward,  some- 
what sulkily,  as,  after  swimming  ashore,  he  wrung 
the  water  from  his  garments. 

"  Not  worse  than  might  have  been  expected  on  a 
first  trial,"  said  Karlsefin,  laughing.  "  Besides,  that 
rascal  Tyrker  deceived  me.  Had  I  known  he  was 
so  bad,  you  should  have  had  Krake." 

Poor  Tyrker,  very  much  crest-fallen,  kept  care- 
fully away  from  the  party,  and  did  not  hear  that 
remark. 

"  Now  it  is  my  turn,"  continued  Karlsefin.  "  If 
we  get  up  safely  I  will  send  Heika  down  to  take 
the  bow  of  your  canoe." 

Karlsefin,  as  we  said,  was  somewhat  more  expert 
than  most  of  the  men  in  managing  canoes,  and 
Krake,  besides  having  had  more  experience  than 
many  of  his  fellows,  had  once  before  visited  and 
ascended  this  rapid.  They  therefore  made  the  ascent 
almost  as  well  as  the  Scots  had  done. 

Arrived  at  the  upper  end,  Hake  and  Heika  were 
ordered  to  remove  everything  out  of  their  canoe, 
and,  with  a  full  crew,  to  run  down  to  the  aid  of 
their  friends.  Karlsefin  himself  went  with  them  as 
one  of  the  crew,  so  that  he  might  take  the  steering 
paddle  when  Heika  should  resign  it  in  order  to  act 
as  Thorward's  bowman.  Thus  manned,  the  second 


278  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST. 

attempt  was  crowned  with  success,  and  not  long 
afterwards  the  three  canoes  swept  into  a  smooth 
reach  of  the  river  above  the  rapids,  and  proceeded 
on  their  way. 

But  a  great  deal  of  time  had  been  lost  in  this 
way,  and  Karlsefin  felt  that  it  must  be  made  up  for 
by  renewed  diligence  and  protracted  labour. 


CHAPTEE  XX. 

REMARKABLE  EXPERIENCES  OF  OLAP  AND  SNORRO — THE  FORMER 
SUFFERS  THE  PANGS  OF  REMORSE. 

A  CAMP  of  savages  is,  in  some  respects,  exceed- 
ingly unattractive.  Indeed,  it  may  truly  be  said  to 
be  in  many  respects  repulsive.  There  are  usually 
odours  in  such  a  camp  which  are  repellent  to  the 
nose,  dishes  that  are  disgusting  to  the  taste,  sights 
that  are  disagreeable  to  the  eyes,  sounds  that  are 
abhorrent  to  the  ear,  and  habits  that  are  uncon- 
genial to  the  feelings. 

Nevertheless  there  is  much  in  such  a  camp  that 
is  deeply  interesting.  The  student  of  nature,  the 
mental  and  moral  philosopher,  the  anthropologist, 
and  the  philanthropist — ay,  even  the  cynic — might 
each  find  much  food  here  suited  to  his  particular 
tastes  and  powers  of  mental  digestion.  At  present, 
however,  we  have  chiefly  to  do,  good  reader,  with 
that  which  interests  you  and  me — namely,  Olaf  and 
Snorro,  who  were  prisoners  of  war  in  a  savage 
camp. 

The  camp  referred  to  was  not  the  small  affair 

279 


280  THE  NOKSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

already  described  as  having  taken  sudden  flight 
from  the  rivulet  which  flowed  into  the  great  river, 
where  we  have  left  the  Norsemen  doing  battle  with 
the  waters.  It  was  the  great  parent,  of  which  that 
little  camp  was  but  an  offshoot — the  head-quarters 
of  a  whole  tribe  of  savages,  who  dwelt  in  it  to  the 
extent  of  many  hundreds.  Yet  it  was  not  a  fixed 
camp.  It  was  a  moving  village  of  leathern  tents, 
or  wigwams,  pitched  without  any  regard  to  order,  on 
the  margin  of  what  appeared  to  be  a  small  lake,  but 
which  was  in  reality  a  mere  widening  of  the  great 
river. 

Hither  Olaf  and  Snorro  were  brought  by  their 
captors,  and  immediately  conveyed  to  the  tent 
of  the  chief,  who  was  an  aged  and  white-haired 
though  vigorous  and  strong-boned  savage.  White- 
pow,  for  such,  curiously  enough,  was  his  name, 
opened  his  eyes  uncommonly  wide  when  he  saw  the 
children  of  the  Norsemen,  and,  sitting  up  on  the 
couch  of  furs  on  which  he  had  been  reclining,  gazed 
at  them  for  about  five  minutes  without  speaking, 
almost  without  winking. 

Snorro  did  not  appear  to  relish  this,  for  he  crept 
close  to  Olaf  s  side  and  tried  to  turn  away  his  eyes, 
but  found  this  to  be  impossible,  for  a  sort  of  fasci- 
nation kept  them  riveted  on  the  countenance  of  the 
aged  Whitepow. 

At  last  the  savage  chief  opened  his  mouth  as  well 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  281 

as  his  eyes,  and  spoke  to  the  savage  who  had 
brought  the  children  into  the  royal  presence.  That 
worthy  rapidly  related  the  circumstances  of  the  cap- 
ture— at  least  so  it  is  to  be  presumed,  but  no  one 
can  now  tell  for  certain — after  which  Whitepow 
turned  to  Olaf  and  said  something  which  as  near  as 
possible  resembled  the  words  : — 

"  Whardeekum  froyoul  ittlsiner?" 

"  I  don't  understand  you,"  answered  Olaf  humbly. 

Whitepow  repeated  the  words,  and  Olaf  reiterated 
his  assurance  that  he  could  make  nothing  of  them 
whatever. 

This  concluded  the  interview  at  that  time,  and 
Whitepow  gave  an  order  which  resulted  in  the 
children  being  conveyed  to  a  tent  where  there  were 
several  women,  old  and  young,  to  whom  they  were 
handed  over  with  a  message  which  we  cannot  record, 
not  knowing  what  it  was. 

The  reception  which  they  met  with  from  these 
native  women  was  flattering,  if  not  in  all  respects 
pleasant.  First,  they  were  placed  in  the  centre  of 
the  group  and  gazed  at  in  wondering  admiration. 
Then  they  were  seized  and  kissed  and  hugged  all 
round  the  circle.  Then  they  were  examined  care- 
fully all  over,  and  under  as  well,  their  white  skins 
being  as  much  a  matter  of  interest  as  their  clothing. 
After  that  their  fair  hair  was  smoothed  and  parted 
by  not  untender  hands,  and  they  were  hugged 


282        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

again — just  as  two  new  dolls  might  have  been  by  a 
group  of  sisters  on  first  making  their  acquaint- 
ance. 

Of  course  there  was  an  immense  deal  of  talking 
and  chatting  and  commenting,  also  no  small  amount 
of  giggling,  and  once  or  twice  one  of  the  women 
addressed  Olaf ;  but  Olaf  shook  his  head  and  stuck 
to  his  first  assurance  that  their  words  were  incom- 
prehensible. 

All  this  was  borne  by  the  captives  with  wonder- 
ful equanimity,  because  neither  was  old  enough  to 
be  much  affected  by  dirtiness  of  person  or  garments, 
and  both  were  thoroughly  able  to  appreciate  kind- 
ness. 

Finally,  a  stout  and  not  bad-looking  young  woman 
took  possession  of  Snorro,  and  robbed  her  own  off- 
spring in  order  to  bestow  on  him  a  very  acceptable 
drink  of  milk.  This  last  act  quite  reconciled  him 
to  his  fate,  and  Olaf,  though  not  so  easily  won  over, 
was  somewhat  mollified  by  a  kindly  old  woman,  who 
placed  him  at  her  side,  and  set  before  him  a  dish  of 
dried  berries. 

When  this  feeding  process  was  concluded,  and  the 
first  blush  of  novelty  began  to  wear  off,  the  children 
were  turned  out  in  front  of  the  women's  tent,  where, 
seated  together  on  a  bit  of  wood,  they  underwent 
the  inspection  of  the  whole  tribe,  old  and  young, 
male  and  female.  This  was  a  much  more  trying 


A  NATIVE  PAINTER. -PAGE  283. 


OE  AMEKICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  283 

ordeal,  but  in  about  an  hour  an  order  was  issued 
which  resulted  in  the  dispersion  of  every  one  save  a 
few  boys,  who  were  either  privileged  individuals  or 
rebellious  subjects,  for  they  not  only  came  back  to 
gaze  at  the  children,  but  ventured  at  length  to  carry 
them  off  to  play  near  the  banks  of  the  river. 

Olaf  was  so  far  reconciled  to  his  new  friends  that 
he  did  not  object  to  witness  and  take  an  interest  in 
their  games,  though  he  resolutely  refused  to  join, 
fearing  that  if  he  did  so  his  little  charge  might  be 
spirited  away  while  he  was  not  watching. 

At  last  one  of  the  boys,  whose  head  was  very 
small  and  round,  and  whose  name  appeared  to  be 
Powlet,  came  forward  with  a  little  red  paint  and 
offered  to  apply  it  to  Olaf  s  face.  All  the  boys'  faces 
were,  we  may  observe,  more  or  less  painted  with 
black,  red,  white,  and  blue  colours,  and  their  heads 
were  decorated  more  or  less  with  feathers.  Indeed, 
these  feathers  constituted,  with  the  exception  of  a 
trifling  shred  of  leather  about  the  loins,  and  some 
feathers  in  their  hair,  all  the  clothing  they  wore  at 
that  season  of  the  year. 

Olaf  refused  to  be  painted,  whereupon  Powlet 
rubbed  the  red  paint  on  the  point  of  his  own  nose, 
an  operation  which  so  tickled  the  fancy  of  Snorro, 
that  he  burst  into  a  hearty  fit  of  laughter,  to  Olaf  s 
ineffable  joy. 

"  That 's  right,  Snorrie,"  he  cried,  setting  the  child 


284       THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

on  his  knee,  "  laugh  again ;  do  it  heartily ;  it  will 
cheer  us  both  up." 

"It  am  so  fun-ny,  O'af,"  said  Snorro,  repeating 
the  laugh  as  he  looked  at  the  native  boy. 

Observing  the  success  of  his  efforts  to  please, 
Powlet  put  a  spot  of  the  red  paint  under  each  eye, 
and  Snorro  laughed  so  much  at  this  that  all  the 
other  boys  came  crowding  round  to  ascertain  and 
enjoy  the  joke. 

Powlet  now  offered  to  anoint  Snorro  in  the  same 
way,  but  Snorro  objected,  and,  pointing  to  his  pro- 
tector said,  with  a  look  of  glee — 

"Do  O'af." 

Nothing  else  would  have  induced  Olaf  to  submit, 
but  Snorro' s  wish  was  law  to  him.  He  therefore 
consented  at  once,  and  Powlet,  dipping  his  finger  in 
the  red  paint  which  he  carried  in  the  hollow  of  his 
hand,  drew  a  thick  stroke  from  Olaf  s  forehead  down 
to  the  point  of  his  nose,  where  he  made  it  terminate 
in  a  large  round  spot. 

There  was  a  tremendous  shout  at  this,  not  only 
from  Snorro,  but  from  all  the  other  boys  ;  and  Olaf 
was  so  pleased  to  see  Snorro  happy,  that  he  turned 
to  Powlet,  pointed  to  his  face,  and  nodded  his  head 
by  way  of  inviting  further  decoration. 

Powlet  was  an  intelligent  boy.  He  understood 
him  at  once,  and  went  on  with  his  work,  a  boy 
coming  up  at  the  moment  with  some  white  paint  in 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  285 

his  hand,  and  another  with  some  blue.  A  white 
diamond  was  immediately  planted  on  each  cheek, 
and  a  blue  circle  under  each  eye,  with  a  red  spot 
in  the  centre  of  each.  So  far,  the  work  was  very 
striking  and  suggestive,  but  when  Powlet  finished 
off  by  drawing  a  series  of  blue,  red,  and  white  lines 
over  Olaf's  eyes,  in  the  forms  that  usually  indicate 
astonishment,  added  a  red  oval  to  the  chin,  with 
a  blue  spot  in  the  middle  of  it,  and  stuck  some 
feathers  in  his  hair,  the  effect  was  absolutely  tre- 
mendous, for  it  caused  the  native  boys  to  yell  with 
delight,  and  Snorro  almost  to  fall  off  his  protector's 
knee  in  a  fit  of  juvenile  hysterics. 

"  Don't  overdo  it,  Snorrie,"  said  Olaf  in  some 
alarm. 

"  Oh  !  O'af,  'oo  is  so  fun-ny  !"  he  cried  again, 
giving  way  to  mirth  till  the  tears  ran  down  his 
cheeks. 

At  this  point  a  tall  savage  came  rushing  out  of 
the  chief's  tent  with  glaring  eyes,  and  made  for  the 
spot  where  the  boys  were  assembled.  They  seemed 
to  know  at  once  what  was  his  errand,  for,  with  one 
consent,  they  scattered  and  fled.  The  tall  savage 
singled  out  Powlet,  caught  him,  punched  his  head, 
and  flung  him  into  the  river,  after  which  he  turned, 
and,  without  taking  any  notice  of  the  captives 
further  than  to  gaze  at  them,  returned  leisurely  to 
the  regal  tent. 


286        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

Meanwhile  Powlet  came  to  the  surface,  swam  like 
an  otter  to  the  shore,  and,  clambering  up  the  bank, 
ran  into  the  woods,  seemingly  none  the  worse  of 
his  bath. 

Thus  left  alone,  Olaf  put  Snorro  on  his  back  and 
sauntered  away  into  the  woods  along  the  banks  of 
the  river.  Forgetting  his  ridiculous  appearance,  he 
began  to  think  of  home  and  to  feel  very  sad,  while 
his  charge,  overcome  with  his  late  exertions,  fell 
asleep  on  his  back.  The  longer  he  walked  the 
sadder  he  grew,  and  at  last  he  groaned  rather  than 
said,  "  What  shall  I  do  ?" 

Suddenly  it  occurred  to  him,  that  as  the  savages 
appeared  to  be  very  careless  about  watching  him,  he 
might  run  away.  It  could  do  no  harm  to  try,  and 
he  would  not  be  in  a  much  worse  position  than 
when  lost  in  the  woods  before.  Under  the  influence 
of  this  thought  he  stopped  and  looked  cautiously 
round  in  all  directions.  No  one  was  to  be  seen. 
He  breathed  hard,  turned  off  the  track  on  tip-toe 
until  he  had  got  into  what  appeared  to  him  to  be  a 
very  dense  and  sequestered  part  of  the  woods,  then 
suddenly  took  to  his  heels  and  ran  for  his  life  ! 

A  loud  laugh  sounded  in  the  bushes  in  front  of 
him,  and  he  stopped  short  just  as  Powlet  appeared, 
wagging  his  small  head  and  laughing  inordinately. 

Poor  Olaf  guessed  at  once  that  the  boy  had  been 
set  to  watch  him ;  he  therefore  wheeled  about  and 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  287 

walked  back  to  the  river,  where,  going  out  on  a  spit 
of  land  that  he  might  not  be  overheard,  he  sat  down 
on  the  ground  and  communed  bitterly  with  himself. 

"  Oh  why,  why  did  I  break  my  promise  ?"  he 
murmured  in  deep  despondency. 

After  a  long  silence  he  began  to  think  aloud. 

"  It  all  conies  of  disobedience !"  he  muttered. 
"  Father  used  to  say,  '  If  you  love  me,  obey  me.  If 
you  want  to  prove  that  you  love  Gudrid,  obey  her/ 
That's  it,  Olaf.  It's  there  that  the  sin  lies.  He 
told  me  never  to  pass  the  ridge,  and  I  did  pass  the 
ridge,  even  though  I  had  promised  not  to ;  and  so, 
owing  to  that  little  bit  of  disobedience,  here  you 
are,  Olaf — and  Snorrie  too — poor  Snorrie — and 
we  're  likely  to  remain  here  for  ever,  as  far  as  I  can 
see.  Oh  that  I  had  not  done  it !  But  what  good 
can  wishing  do  now  ?  If  I  had  loved  father  better, 
perhaps  I  would  have  obeyed  him  better." 

It  would  almost  seem  as  if  Olaf  had  heard  of 
such  a  word  as  this — "  If  ye  love  me,  keep  my  com- 
mandments !" 

After  a  few  minutes  he  broke  forth  again — 

"  Yes,  I  know  that  I  did  not  intend  to  disobey, 
nevertheless  I  did  it.  And  I  did  not  think  such  awful 
things  would  follow — but  that  does  not  mend  the 
matter.  What  shall  I  do  ?  Snorrie,  I  think  I  could 
gladly  lay  down  my  life,  if  I  could  give  you  back 
once  more  to  your  mother." 


288        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST. 

Snorro  heard  not  the  remark.  He  was  as  sound 
as  a  top,  and  Olaf  looked  sadly  at  the  little  head 
that  lay  on  his  shoulder.  Then  it  struck  him  that 
it  was  high  time  to  have  the  child  put  to  bed,  so  he 
rose  and  hurried  back  to  the  women's  tent,  where  he 
was  received  with  as  much  kindness  as  before. 

Very  soon  Snorro's  little  head  reposed  upon  a 
pillow  of  rabbit-skins,  and  not  long  after  that  Olaf 
went  to  rest  beside  him  on  a  deer-skin  couch,  where, 
lying  on  his  back,  he  could  see  the  sky  through  the 
hole  in  the  top  of  the  tent  whence  the  smoke  of  the 
fire  escaped.  As  he  lay  there  the  burden  of  his 
thoughts  was  ever  the  same—"  Oh  why  did  I  do  it  1 
Why  did  I  disobey?"  Thus  the  poor  boy  lay,  self- 
condemned,  and  gazed  upwards  and  pondered,  until 
sweet  sleep  came  and  carried  heart  and  brain  to  the 
blessed  refuge  of  oblivion. 


CHAPTEE  XXI. 

REINFORCEMENTS  SENT  OFF  TO  KARLSEFIN— FOES  DISCOVERED  IN  THE 
WOODS— A  NIGHT  ATTACK,  AND  OTHER  WARLIKE  MATTERS. 

WE  must  return  now  for  a  little  to  the  settlement 
of  the  Norsemen,  which,  by  the  way,  had  by  this 
time  come  to  be  called  by  the  name  of  Leifsgaard. 

Here,  from  Thorward's  house,  there  issued  tones 
which  indicated  the  existence  of  what  is  popularly 
known  as  a  "  breeze."  Human  breezes  are  usually 
irregular,  and  blow  after  the  manner  of  counter- 
currents  ;  but  in  Thorward's  habitation  the  breezes 
almost  invariably  blew  in  one  direction,  and  always 
issued  from  the  lungs  of  Freydissa,  who  possessed  a 
peculiar  knack  of  keeping  and  enjoying  all  the  breeze 
to  herself,  some  passive  creature  being  the  butt 
against  which  it  impinged. 

On  the  present  occasion  that  butt  was  Bertha. 
Indeed,  Bertha  was  a  species  of  practising-butt,  at 
which  Freydissa  exercised  herself  when  all  other 
butts  failed,  or  when  she  had  nothing  better  to  do. 

"  Don't  say  to  me  that  you  can't  help  it !"  she 
cried,  in  her  own  amiably  shrill  tones.  "  You  can 
T 


290  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

help  it  well  enough  if  you  choose.  You  are  always 
at  it,  morning,  noon,  and  night ;  I  'm  quite  sick  of 
you,  girl ;  I  'm  sorry  I  brought  you  here  ;  I  'd  send 
you  back  to  Greenland  to-morrow  if  I  could.  If 
the  ship  sank  with  you  on  the  passage,  I  'd  rejoice — 
I  would  !  There  !  don't  say  it  again,  now ;  you  're 
going  to — I  can  see  that  by  your  whimpering  look. 
Don't  say  you  can't  help  it.  Don't !  don't !  Do  you 
hear?" 

"  Indeed,  indeed  I  can't — " 

"  There  !  I  knew  you  would,"  shrieked  Freydissa, 
as  she  raised  herself  from  the  wash-tub,  in  which 
she  had  been  manipulating  some  articles  of  clothing 
as  if  she  were  tearing  Bertha  to  pieces — "  why  can't 
you?" 

"  It  isn't  easy  to  help  weeping,"  whimpered  Bertha, 
as  she  continued  to  drive  her  spinning-wheel,  "  when 
one  thinks  of  all  that  has  passed,  and  poor — " 

"Weeping!  weeping!"  cried  Freydissa,  diving 
again  into  the  tub ;  "  do  you  call  that  weeping  ?  / 
call  it  downright  blubbering.  Why,  your  face  is  as 
much  legrutten  as  if  you  were  a  mere  baby." 

This  was  true,  for  what  between  her  grief  at  the 
sudden  disappearance  of  Olaf  and  Snorro,  and  the 
ceaseless  assaults  of  her  mistress,  who  was  uncom- 
monly cross  that  morning,  Bertha's  pretty  little  face 
was  indeed  a  good  deal  swelled  and  inflamed  about 
the  eyes  and  cheeks.  She  again  took  refuge  in 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  291 

silence,  but  this  made  no  difference  to  Freydissa,  or 
rather  it  acted,  if  anything,  as  a  provocative  of 
wrath.  "  Speak,  you  hussy  !"  was  usually  her  irate 
manner  of  driving  the  helpless  little  handmaid  out 
of  that  refuge. 

"  What  were  you  going  to  say  ?  Poor  what  ?"  she 
asked  sharply,  after  a  few  minutes'  silence. 
"  I  was  going  to  say  that  poor  Snorro  and — " 
"Oh!  it's  all  very  well  to  talk  of  poor  Snorro," 
interrupted  her  mistress ;  "  you  know  quite  well 
that  you  took  to  snivelling  long  before  Snorro  was 
lost.  You're  thinking  of  Hake,  you  are.  You 
know  you  are,  and  you  daren't  deny  it,  for  your  red 
face  would  give  you  the  lie  if  you  did.  Hake  in- 
deed !  Even  though  he  is  a  thrall,  he 's  too  good 
for  such  a  silly  thing  as  you.  There,  be  off  with 
you  till  you  can  stop  your  weeping,  as  you  call  it. 
Go!" 

Freydissa  enforced  her  command  by  sending  a 
mass  of  soapy  cloth  which  she  had  just  wrung  out 
after  the  retreating  Bertha.  Fortunately  she  was  a 
bad  shot.  The  missile  flew  past  its  intended  object, 
and,  hitting  a  hen,  which  had  ventured  to  intrude, 
on  the  legs,  swept  it  with  a  terrific  cackle  into  the 
road,  to  the  amazement,  not  to  say  horror,  of  the 
cock  and  chickens. 

As  Bertha  disappeared  Biarne  entered  the  room — 
"  Hallo  !  Freydissa,  stormy  weather — eh  ?" 


292       THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"  You  can  go  outside  and  see  for  yourself/'  an- 
swered Freydissa  angrily. 

"  So  I  mean  to,"  returned  Biarne,  with  a  smile, 
"  for  the  weather  is  pleasanter  outside  than  in ;  but  I 
must  first  presume  to  put  the  question  that  brought 
me  here.  Do  you  chance  to  know  where  Leif  is  this 
morning  ?" 

"  How  should  I  know  ?" 

"  By  having  become  acquainted  with  the  facts  of 
the  case  somehow,"  suggested  Biarne. 

"  Well,  then,  I  don't  know ;  so  you  can  go  study 
the  weather." 

"  Oho !  mistress.  I  see  that  it  is  time  we  sent  to 
Iceland  for  another  cat !" 

This  allusion  to  her  husband's  former  treatment 
of  her  pet  was  almost  the  only  thing  that  could  calm 
— or  at  least  restrain — the  storm  !  Freydissa  bit  her 
lips  and  flushed  as  she  went  on  with  her  washing, 
but  she  said  nothing  more. 

"  Well,  good-morning,"  said  Biarne  as  he  left  the 
house  to  search  for  Leif. 

He  found  him  busily  engaged  in  executing  some 
repairs  on  board  the  '  Snake/ 

"  I  have  a  thought  in  my  head,"  said  Biarne. 

"  Out  with  it  then,"  replied  Leif,  wiping  his  brow, 
"  because  thoughts,  if  kept  long  in  the  brain,  are  apt 
to  hatch,  and  the  chicken-thoughts  are  prone  to  run 
away  at  the  moment  of  birth,  and  men  have  a  ten- 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  293 

dency  to  chase  the  chickens,  to  the  utter  forgetting 
of  the  original  hens  !  What  is  thy  thought,  Biarne  ?" 

"  That  I  should  take  as  many  of  the  men  as  you 
can  spare,"  he  replied,  "  and  go  off  by  water  to  rein- 
force Karlsefin." 

"  That  is  strange/'  said  Leif.  "  I  sometimes  think 
that  there  must  be  a  mysterious  influence  which 
passes  between  mind  and  mind.  The  very  same 
thought  came  into  my  head  this  morning  when  I 
was  at  work  on  this  oar,  and  I  had  intended  to  talk 
with  you  on  the  subject.  But  why  do  you  think 
this  course  of  action  needful  ?" 

"  Just  because  the  party  of  savages  may  turn  out 
to  be  larger  than  we  imagined,  or  they  may  be  joined 
by  others,  and  it  has  occurred  to  me  that  the  force 
which  is  out  with  Karlsefin  is  barely  sufficient  to 
make  a  good  stand  against  heavy  odds.  With  a 
small  party  heavy  odds  against  you  is  a  serious 
matter ;  but  with  a  large  party  heavy  odds  on  the 
side  of  the  enemy  makes  little  weight — unless,  in- 
deed, their  men  are  willing  to  come  on  and  be  killed 
in  large  numbers,  which  my  experience  of  savages 
assures  me  that  they  are  never  willing  to  do." 

"  Your  reasons,  Biarne,  are  very  much  the  same  as 
my  own ;  therefore,  being  of  one  mind,  we  shall  go 
about  the  business  without  delay,  for  if  our  aid  is  to 
reach  them  at  all  it  must  be  extended  at  once.  Go, 
then,  select  and  collect  your  men ;  I  will  be  content 


294  .  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

to  guard  the  place  with  the  half  of  those  that  are 
now  here  ;  and  make  haste,  Biarne,  the  more  I  think 
of  it  the  more  I  fear  delay." 

Biarne  was  not  slow  to  act.  In  a  remarkably 
brief  space  of  time  he  had  selected  his  men,  pre- 
pared the  canoes,  loaded  them  with  arms  and  food, 
and  got  everything  ready  ;  so  that  before  the  after- 
noon had  far  advanced  he  was  enabled  to  set  off 
with  four  canoes  and  thirty-two  men. 

Meanwhile  Leif  had  set  those  that  remained  to 
complete  a  small  central  point  of  defence — a  sort  of 
fortalice — which  had  been  for  some  time  in  prepar- 
ation as  a  last  refuge  for  the  colonists  in  the  event  of 
their  ever  being  attacked  by  overwhelming  numbers. 

Karlsefin  had  long  seen  the  propriety  of  building 
some  such  stronghold;  but  the  friendly  relations 
that  had  existed  for  a  considerable  period  between 
the  Norsemen  and  the  natives  had  induced  him  to 
suspend  building  operations,  until  several  annoying 
misunderstandings  and  threats  on  the  part  of  the 
savages  had  induced  him  to  resume  the  work.  At 
the  time  of  which  we  write  it  was  almost  completed. 

This  fortress  was  little  more  than  a  strong  pali- 
sade of  stout  planks  about  twelve  feet  high,  placed 
close  together,  with  narrow  slits  on  every  side  for 
the  discharge  of  arrows,  and  a  platform  all  round  the 
top  inside,  on  which  men  could  stand  to  repel  an 
assault  or  discharge  stones  and  other  missiles  over 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  295 

the  wall  But  the  chief  strength  of  the  place  lay 
in  its  foundation,  which  was  the  summit  of  a  small 
isolated  rocky  mound  in  the  centre  of  the  hamlet. 
The  mound  was  not  more  than  thirty  feet  high,  but 
its  sides  were  so  steep  that  the  top  could  not  be 
reached  without  difficulty,  and  its  area  was  so  small 
that  the  little  fortification  embraced  the  whole  of  it. 
It  was  large  enough,  however,  to  contain  the  whole 
population  of  the  place,  exclusive  of  the  cattle. 

To  the  completion,  then,  of  this  place  of  refuge, 
Leif  addressed  himself  with  all  the  energy  of  his 
nature.  A  large  shed  was  erected  in  one  corner  of 
it,  with  a  strong  plank  roof,  to  protect  the  women 
from  stones,  arrows,  and  javelins,  which  were  the 
only  projectiles  in  vogue  at  that  period  of  the  world's 
history.  Another  shed  was  built  just  under  the 
fortalice,  on  the  lake  side,  for  the  safe  housing  of 
the  live  stock.  Arrows  were  made  in  great  num- 
bers by  some  of  the  men,  while  others  gathered  and 
stored  an  immense  supply  of  heavy  ammunition  in 
the  shape  of  stones.  Besides  this  a  large  quantity 
of  dried  provisions  was  stored  in  the  women's  shed, 
also  a  supply  of  water ;  but  in  regard  to  the  last, 
being  near  the  lake,  and  within  easy  bow- shot  of 
their  vessel,  they  trusted  to  bold  night-sallies  for  addi- 
tional supplies  of  the  indispensable  fluid.  Finally, 
the  work  was  carried  on  with  such  vigour  that  eight 
days  after  Biarne's  departure  it  was  finished. 


296        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

Finished — and  not  a  moment  too  soon  !  At  the 
time  when  Biarne  started  on  his  voyage,  the  woods 
were,  unknown  to  the  Norsemen,  alive  with  savages. 
Fortunately  these  had  not  observed  the  departure  of 
the  canoes,  the  whole  of  them  being  engaged  at  the 
time  deep  within  the  woods,  holding  a  council  of 
war,  in  which  it  was  resolved  to  attack  the  white 
invaders  of  their  land,  kill  them  all,  and  appropriate 
their  property. 

Leif  committed  a  slight  mistake  in  not  sending 
out  scouts  at  this  time  to  guard  against  surprise, 
but  he  was  so  eager  to  have  the  works  completed 
that  he  grudged  sending  away  any  of  his  small  body 
of  men. 

On  the  day  when  everything  had  been  got  ready, 
he  sent  a  man  named  Hengler,  who  was  an  expert 
bowman,  to  procure  some  venison.  In  less  than  an 
hour  Hengler  was  seen  running  towards  the  hamlet 
at  break-neck  speed,  with  his  eyes  almost  starting 
out  of  his  head,  his  hair  streaming  in  the  breeze,  and 
two  savages  close  on  his  heels. 

"  To  arms,  men ! "  shouted  Leif,  as  he  snatched  up 
a  bow,  and,  without  waiting  to  put  on  helmet  or 
sword,  ran  out  to  meet  Hengler. 

Seeing  this,  the  savages  stopped,  hastily  fitted 
arrows  to  their  bowstrings  and  discharged  them,  the 
one  at  Hengler,  the  other  at  Leif.  The  first  just 
grazed  the  flying  Norseman's  ear;  the  other  fell 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  297 

short,  but  before  a  second  discharge  was  possible 
Leif  had  sent  an  arrow  whizzing  at  the  first  savage. 
It  pierced  his  thigh.  Uttering  a  fierce  yell,  he 
plucked  the  shaft  out  of  the  wound,  and  turning 
round  fled  back  to  the  woods  followed  by  his  com- 
panion. 

"  Not  a  moment  to  lose,"  gasped  Hengler,  as  he 
ran  into  the  hamlet.  "  There  are  hundreds  of  them 
everywhere.'* 

"  Coming  towards  us  ? "  asked  Leif. 

"Not  when  I  saw  .them,  but  doubtless  when 
these  two  return  they  will  come  down  like  a 
mountain  foss." 

"  Quick,  get  into  the  fort,  lads ! — Stay,  Hengler, 
assist  me  with  the  women." 

"  Do  you  think  they  really  mean  to  attack  us  ? " 
asked  Gudrid,  who,  with  Bertha  and  Freydissa,  came 
forward  at  the  moment. 

"  Assuredly  they  do,"  answered  Leif;  "  come,  fol- 
low Hengler  to  the  fort.  Whatever  they  intended 
before,  the  arrow  in  that  fellow's  leg  will  settle  the 
question.  Where  are  Thora  and  Astrid  ? " 

"  In  the  dairy,"  replied  Gudrid. 

"  Away,  then  ;  I  go  to  fetch  them." 

"  Would  that  I  were  a  man  ! "  exclaimed  Freydissa, 
catching  up  a  spear  and  shaking  it  as  she  strode 
along  with  the  rest.  "  I  'd  teach  them  to  think  twice 
before  coming  here  to  disturb  peaceable  folk  ! " 


298        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"  Peaceable !"  thought  Leif,  with  a  grim  smile,  as  he 
hurried  towards  the  dairy ;  but  he  said  nothing,  for 
he  deemed  that  to  be  a  time  for  silence  and  action. 

In  a  few  minutes  nearly  all  the  population  of  the 
place  had  taken  refuge  in  the  fort,  and  soon  after- 
wards the  live  stock  was  driven  into  the  shed  be- 
side the  rock.  The  gate  was  then  shut  and  the  men 
mounted  the  battlements,  or  breastwork,  to  watch 
for  the  expected  foe. 

But  no  foe  made  his  appearance.  Hour  after 
hour  passed  away;  the  sun  descended  behind 
the  tree-tops  and  below  the  horizon;  the  grey 
mantle  of  evening  overspread  the  scene;  still 
the  watchers  stood  on  the  battlements  and  gazed 
intently  into  the  forest — still  there  was  not  the 
slightest  sound  or  symptom  of  an  enemy  in  the  vast 
sleeping  wilderness. 

"  Now  this  is  passing  strange,"  observed  Hengler, 
who  had  been  appointed  second  in  command,  and 
stood  beside  Leif. 

"  Not  so  strange  as  ye  suppose,"  replied  Leif. 
"Many  a  time  have  I  fought  with  men  in  the 
mountains  of  Norway  and  on  the  plains  of  Valland, 
and  invariably  have  I  found  that  a  surprise  is  never 
attempted  save  in  the  night." 

"True,"  returned  Hengler;  "but  when  a  very 
strong  foe  stands  before  a  very  weak  one,  it  seems 
to  me  childish  to  delay  the  assault." 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  299 

"  Thine  ignorance  of  war  must  be  great,  Hengler," 
returned  Leif,  regarding  the  man  with  a  smile,  "  if 
thou  hast  yet  to  learn  that  a  body  of  men  weak  in 
numbers  becomes  passing  strong  when  posted  behind 
good  walls,  with  plenty  of  missiles  and  provender." 

"  My  knowledge  of  war  is  not  great,"  said  the 
man,  who  was  quite  a  youth,  "  but  methinks  it  is 
like  to  improve  now." 

"  I  fear  it  is,"  returned  Leif  sadly,  "  but  now  I 
will  give  thee  a  job  to  perform  that  is  necessary. 
From  my  experience  of  such  matters  I  feel  well 
assured  that  the  savages  intend  an  assault  during 
the  night,  when  they  doubtless  expect  that  their 
numbers  will  more  easily  cope  with  and  overcome 
us;  but  in  my  judgment  it  is  likely  that  they 
understand  nothing  of  this  fort-work,  therefore  I 
shall  give  them  a  surprise,  instead  of  receiving  one 
at  their  hands.  Go  thou,  then,  with  six  of  the 
most  active  among  the  men,  and  slip  as  quietly  as 
may  be  into  the  forest ;  gather  there  as  many  pine 
cones  as  shall  fill  your  shields  to  overflowing,  and 
bring  them  hither,  along  with  a  quantity  of  birch 
bark.  If  ye  are  attacked  fight  your  way  back,  and 
we  will  cover  your  retreat  from  the  ramparts." 

While  Hengler  and  six  men  were  absent  on  this 
duty,  another  small  party  was  sent  to  fetch  into  the 
fort  a  log  about  eighteen  feet  long,  which  lay  on  the 
ground  close  at  hand ;  at  the  same  time  they  were 


300  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

ordered  to  run  down  to  the  lake  and  bring  up  three 
or  four  old  planks  which  had  lain  for  a  long  time  in 
the  water,  and  were  quite  sodden.  These  things 
were  all  secured  and  carried  into  the  fortress  in  the 
course  of  a  few  minutes.  The  log  was  then  set  up 
on  end  and  sunk  deep  into  a  hole  in  the  ground,  so 
that  it  remained  standing  in  the  centre  of  the  fort 
with  the  top  just  reaching  a  little  above  the  walls. 
Pegs  were  driven  into  it  all  the  way  up,  so  that  a 
man  could  easily  ascend  it.  On  the  top  of  this 
pole  was  affixed  a  platform  made  of  the  soaked 
planks,  about  six  feet  square,  with  a  hole  left  near 
the  head  of  the  pole  through  which  a  man  could 
thrust  himself.  These  Norsemen  were  smart  in 
using  their  hands  and  axes.  The  contrivance 
which  we  have  taken  so  long  to  describe  was  erected 
in  a  very  few  minutes.  It  was  well-nigh  completed 
when  Hengler  and  his  party  returned  with  the  pine 
cones  and  birch  bark,  both  of  which  substances  are 
exceedingly  resinous  and  inflammable.  Leif  made 
the  men  carry  them  to  the  top  of  the  pole,  and  pile 
them  on  the  platform.  He  then  ordered  a  small 
fire  to  be  kindled  in  a  corner  of  the  fort,  but  to  be 
kept  very  low  and  small,  so  that  the  tiny  wreath 
of  smoke  which  arose  from  it  might  be  dissipated 
before  it  reached  the  battlements.  After  that  he 
called  all  the  men  to  him. 

"  Now,  my  lads/'  said  he,  "  it  is  likely  that  these 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  301 

savages  will  try  to  take  us  by  surprise.  This  they 
will  not  find  it  easy  to  do.  From  what  I  know  of 
them  they  will  come  like  the  fox — slily — and  try  to 
pounce  upon  us.  We  will  let  them  come  ;  we  will 
let  them  pounce,  and  not  show  face  until  such  time 
as  I  give  the  word — then  ye  will  know  how  to  quit 
you  like  men.  Away,  all  of  you,  to  rest — each  man 
with  his  shield  above  him  and  his  sword  by  his 
side.  I  myself  will  do  the  part  of  sentinel." 

The  men  quietly  obeyed  this  order.  Leif  did  not 
think  it  necessary  to  say  more  to  them,  but  to 
Hengler  and  two  others  who  had  been  selected  as 
leaders  he  revealed  more  minutely  the  intended 
plan  of  action  before  they  lay  down. 

Leaving  Hengler  for  a  few  minutes  to  guard  the 
walls,  he  entered  the  shed  where  the  women  were 
seated. 

"  You  must  keep  well  under  cover,  Gudrid,"  he 
said,  "  for  it  is  likely  that  these  fellows  will  shower 
some  arrows  upon  us — perhaps  something  heavier ; 
but  we  are  well  prepared  to  receive  them." 

"  Are  our  enemies  numerous  ?"  asked  Gudrid 
anxiously. 

"  So  it  is  said,  but  that  will  do  them  little  service 
so  long  as  we  are  behind  these  walls/' 

"I  wish  I  had  my  fingers  in  their  chief's  hair!" 
muttered  Freydissa  between  her  teeth. 

"  I  echo  the  wish  you  expressed  not  long  ago," 


302        THE  NOKSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

yaid  Leif,  laughing.  "  Would  that  thou  wert  a  man, 
Freydissa,  for  assuredly  a  spirit  like  thine  is  in- 
valuable on  the  field  of  battle." 

"  Thankful  am  I  that  there  are  other  fields  be- 
sides battle-fields  where  women  may  be  useful," 
observed  Bertha,  who  was  seated  on  a  box  beside 
Astrid,  with  her  arm  round  her  waist. 

Freydissa  merely  cast  on  her  handmaid  a  look  of 
scorn,  for  she  was  aware  that  neither  the  time  nor 
place  was  suited  to  the  exercise  of  her  peculiar 
talents. 

"  I  just  looked  in  to  assure  you  that  all  goes 
well,"  said  Leif,  addressing  the  women  generally, 
"  and  that  you  have  nothing  to  fear." 

"  We  fear  nothing !"  said  Freydissa,  answering 
for  the  rest. 

The  somewhat  flippant  remark,  "  Speak  for  your- 
self," might  have  been  appropriately  made  by  some 
of  her  sisterhood,  but  they  were  all  too  anxious 
about  the  impending  danger  to  heed  what  she  said. 

When  Leif  rejoined  Hengler  on  the  walls,  the 
shades  of  night  had  fallen  on  the  forest.  He  ad- 
vised his  lieutenant  to  lie  down,  but  Hengler  begged 
and  obtained  permission  to  share  his  vigil. 

There  was  no  moon  that  night,  and  it  became 
extremely  dark — just  such  a  night  as  was  suited  to 
the  purpose  of  the  natives.  Leif  stood  motionless, 
like  a  statue,  leaning  on  his  spear.  His  man  sat  on 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  303 

the  rampart ;  both  gazed  and  listened  with  painful 
intensity. 

At  last  Leif  pointed  to  what  appeared  to  be  a 
moving  object  on  the  space  of  cleared  ground  that 
intervened  between  the  slight  wall  of  the  hamlet 
and  the  edge  of  the  forest. 

"  Awake  the  men,"  he  whispered,  "  and  let  not  a 
sound  of  voice  or  clank  of  sword  be  heard." 

Hengler  made  no  reply,  but  glided  silently  away. 
One  by  one  the  men  came  up  with  the  light  tread 
of  cats,  and  manned  the  walls,  keeping  well  under 
cover  of  the  parapet — each  taking  his  appointed 
station  beside  his  particular  pile  of  stones  and  sheaf 
of  arrows,  which  lay  on  the  platform,  while  below  a 
man  with  a  bow  was  stationed  at  every  slit. 

Suddenly  there  arose  on  the  night  air  a  yell  so 
fierce,  so  prolonged,  and  so  peculiar,  that  it  made 
even  the  stout  hearts  of  the  Norsemen  quail  for  a 
moment — it  was  so  unearthly,  and  so  unlike  any 
war-cry  they  had  ever  before  heard.  Again  and 
again  it  was  repeated,  then  a  rushing  sound  was 
heard,  and  hundreds  of  dark  objects  were  indis- 
tinctly seen  leaping  over  the  slight  wall  of  felled 
trees  that  surrounded  the  hamlet. 

With  furious  shouts  the  savages  surrounded  the 
houses,  burst  open  the  doors,  and  rushed  in ;  but 
they  rushed  out  again  almost  immediately,  and  their 
yells  were  exchanged  for  exclamations  of  surprise 


304        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST. 

as  they  went  about  searching  in  the  dark  for  their 
concealed  enemies.  Of  course  they  came  to  the 
rock-fortress  almost  immediately  after,  and  another 
war-cry  was  uttered  as  they  surrounded  the  place  in 
hundreds,  but  as  there  was  still  no  sound  or  appear- 
ance of  their  expected  foe,  they  became  suddenly 
silent,  as  if  under  the  impression  that  there  was 
something  mysterious  in  the  affair  which  was  not  in 
accordance  with  their  past  experiences. 

They  nevertheless  clambered  to  the  top  of  the 
rock,  and  began  to  feel  round  the  bottom  of  the 
wooden  palisades  for  a  door. 

At  that  moment,  while  they  were  clustering  thick 
as  bees  round  the  base  of  the  building,  Leif  gave  a 
preconcerted  signal.  One  of  the  men  applied  a  light 
to  the  pile  of  bark  and  fir-cones,  and  a  bright  flash 
of  flame  shot  upward  as  Leif  said, — "  Up,  lads  !"  in 
deep  stern  tones. 

Instantly  a  shower  of  heavy  stones  descended  on 
the  pates  of  the  savages,  who  rolled  down  the  steep 
sides  of  the  mound  with  shrieks  and  cries  and  yells 
very  different  indeed  from  those  which  had  char- 
acterized their  assault.  From  all  directions  the 
savages  now  concentrated  on  the  fortress.  At  the 
same  time  the  fire  suddenly  shot  up  with  such  a 
glare  that  the  whole  scene  was  made  nearly  as  light 
as  day,  and  from  the  parapets  and  every  loop-hole 
of  the  fortress  a  very  hail  of  arrows  poured  forth 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  305 

into  the  midst  of  them,  while  their  own  shafts  either 
quivered  in  the  palisade  or  fell  harmless  from  the 
shields  and  helmets  of  the  Norsemen, 

Even  in  that  hour  of  extreme  danger,  Leif  Js  de- 
sire to  spare  life,  with  a  view  to  future  proposals  of 
peace,  was  exemplified  in  his  ordering  the  men  to 
draw  their  bows  slightly,  so  as  to  wound  without 
killing,  as  much  as  possible,  and  to  aim  as  well  as 
they  could  at  the  legs  of  the  foe  !  One  result  of  this 
was,  that  the  wounded  men  were  soon  very  numerous, 
and,  as  they  fled  away,  filled  the  woods  with  such 
howls  of  agony  that  their  still  unhurt  comrades 
were  more  alarmed  than  they  would  probably  have 
been  if  the  ground  had  been  strewn  with  the  dead. 

At  this  point  a  vigorous  sally  from  the  fortress, 
and  a  deep-toned  Norse  cheer,  settled  the  question 
for  the  time  being.  The  entire  army  of  dark- 
skinned  warriors  turned  and  fled  into  its  native 
wilderness  ! 

There  was  not,  it  may  be  well  to  remark  here,  so 
much  danger  in  this  sally  as  we  moderns  might 
suppose,  for,  even  though  the  savages  had  not  run, 
but  had  faced  and  surrounded  their  enemy,  these 
Norsemen,  with  their  massive  limbs,  sweeping 
swords,  large  shields,  and  defensive  armour,  could 
have  cut  their  way  back  again  to  the  fort  through 
hundreds  of  such  half-naked  foes. 

Of  course  Leif  had  expected  them  to  fly,  and  had 
u 


306  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

no  intention  of  retiring  immediately  to  the  fort.  He 
merely  went  the  length  of  the  outer  wall,  and  then, 
with  half  of  his  men,  kept  up  a  vigorous  shouting 
to  expedite  the  flight  of  the  foe,  while  the  other  half 
picked  up  as  many  arrows  as  they  could  find.  Leif 
was  glad  to  learn,  on  returning  to  the  fort,  that  only 
two  dead  men  had  been  discovered  on  the  ground. 

But  the  savages  had  not  given  in  by  any  means, 
as  became  pretty  clear  from  the  noise  they  made  in 
the  woods  soon  afterwards.  This  continued  all 
night,  and  Leif  ordered  the  fire  to  be  extinguished, 
lest  they  should  be  tempted  by  its  light  to  send  a 
flight  of  arrows  among  them,  which  might  wound 
some  of  his  people  when  off  their  guard. 

When  the  first  grey  light  of  dawn  appeared,  it 
became  evident  to  the  beleaguered  Norsemen  what 
the  savages  had  been  about.  Not  very  far  from  the 
fortress  an  enormous  pile  of  dry  timber  had  been 
raised,  and,  although  it  was  within  easy  bow-shot, 
the  savages  managed,  by  dodging  from  tree  to  tree, 
to  get  under  its  shelter  with  fresh  logs  on  their 
shoulders,  and  thus  increased  the  pile  continually. 

"  They  mean  to  bum  us  out !"  exclaimed  Hengler 
anxiously. 

"  Eather  to  smoke  us  out,"  observed  one  of  the 
men.  "  Fire  can  never  reach  us  from  that  distance." 

Leif,  who  was  very  grave,  shook  his  head  and 
said — 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  307 

"  If  they  make  the  pile  very  big  it  may  reach  us 
well  enough.  They  have  plenty  of  hands  and  no  lack 
of  wood.  See,  they  are  piling  it  to  windward.  God 
grant  that  the  breeze  may  not  increase,  else  shall 
we  have  to  forsake  the  fortress.  Nevertheless  our 
good  ship  is  at  hand,"  he  added,  in  a  more  cheerful 
tone,  "  and  they  will  find  us  tough  to  deal  with 
when  we  get  upon  the  water. — Come,  lads,  we  will 
at  all  events  harass  if  we  cannot  stop  them." 

So  saying,  Leif  ordered  the  men  to  keep  up  a 
constant  discharge  of  arrows  whenever  they  obtained 
a  glimpse  of  the  savages,  and  he  himself  headed  a 
sally  and  drove  them  back  to  the  woods.  But  as 
soon  as  he  and  his  men  had  returned  to  the  fortress, 
out  came  the  savages  again  like  a  swarm  of  bees, 
and  continued  their  work  vigorously. 

Thus  the  morning  passed  away,  and  the  pile  of 
the  intended  bonfire,  despite  the  arrows  and  the 
frequent  sallies  of  the  Norsemen,  continued  slowly 
but  steadily  to  grow. 


CHAPTEE  XXII 

HAKE  MAKES  A  BOLD  VENTURE,   BUT  DOES  NOT  WIN— THE  NORSEMEN 
FIND  THAT  THERE  IS  MANF  A  SLIP  'TWIXT  THE  CUP  AND  THE  LIP. 

WHEN  Karlsefin  and  his  men  had  surmounted  the 
rapid,  as  "before  described,  they  found  their  future 
advance  unimpeded,  and,  in  the  natural  course  of 
things — or  of  the  river — arrived,  not  long  after  the 
children,  at  the  lake-like  expansion  on  the  shores 
of  which  the  native  village  stood. 

This  village,  it  must  be  understood,  was  not  a 
permanent  one.  The  natives  were  nomads.  Their 
tents  were  merely  poles  cut  as  required  from  the 
neighbouring  woods,  tied  together  at  the  top,  spread 
out  in  a  circle  at  the  base,  and  covered  with  leather, 
which  coverings  were  the  only  parts  of  their  habita- 
tions the  natives  deigned  to  carry  about  with  them. 
They  were  here  to-day  and  away  to-morrow,  stopping 
a  longer  or  shorter  time  in  each  encampment  accord- 
ing to  fancy,  or  to  the  measure  of  their  success  in 
procuring  food.  The  particular  tribe  of  natives 
which  had  captured  the  Norsemen's  children  had 


AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  309 

only  just  come  to  the  locality ;  they  therefore  knew 
nothing  of  the  arrival  of  the  white  strangers  in  their 
land,  except  what  they  had  recently  learned  from 
their  scouts,  as  we  have  seen. 

Karlsefin's  canoe  led  the  way ;  hence,  on  turning 
sharp  round  a  point  of  rock  that  jutted  out  into  the 
stream,  Krake  was  the  first  who  caught  sight  of  the 
smoke  that  rose  above  the  tree-tops. 

"  Hist !  hold  on,"  he  exclaimed  in  a  hoarse 
whisper,  looking  over  his  shoulder  as  he  backed- 
water  suddenly.  Karlsefin  and  the  men  instantly 
did  the  same,  and  sent  the  canoe  back  under  the 
shelter  of  the  point.  The  other  canoes  of  course 
followed  suit. 

"  The  Skraelingers  !  "  whispered  Krake.  "  I  saw 
the  smoke  of  their  fires." 

"  Did  you  see  tents  ? "  asked  the  leader. 

"  No  ;  there  was  scarce  time  to  see  anything  be- 
fore we  got  back  here." 

"  What  do  you  advise  ?  "  asked  Karlsefin,  looking 
at  Thorward. 

"  Go  ashore  and  attack  them  at  once,"  he  replied. 

"Ay,  that's  it,  there's  nothing  like  fighting  it 
out  at  once  ! "  muttered  Krake  ill  an  undertone. 

"  My  advice,"  said  Karlsefin,  "  is,  that  we  cross 
the  river  and  get  on  yonder  height,  which  from  its 
position  must  needs  overlook  the  camp  of  the 
savages,  and  there  reconnoitre  and  form  our  plans." 


310  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"  Well,  I  daresay  your  advice  is  best  after  all," 
rejoined  Thorward,  with  a  smile.  "  You  were  always 
a  cautious  and  peaceful  man ;  though  I  'm  bound  in 
fairness  to  admit  that  you  can  fight  passing  well 
when  it  comes  to  that." 

"  Thanks  for  your  good  opinion,"  said  Karlsefin, 
laughing  quietly.  "  So  now,  lads,  turn  about  and 
follow  me  closely.  Keep  silence,  and  dip  your 
paddles  as  lightly  as  may  be." 

Saying  this,  he  returned  a  considerable  way  down 
the  river;  keeping  very  close  in  to  the  banks, 
which  were  overhung  with  bushes,  until  he  reached 
a  point  where  it  seemed  likely  that  the  party  could 
cross  without  being  observed.  There  was  a  slight 
rapid  at  the  place,  so  that  they  had  only  to  enter  it 
at  an  angle  with  the  bank  and  were  swept  across  in 
a  few  moments,  almost  without  requiring  to  use 
their  paddles. 

Landing  at  the  edge  of  a  dense  thicket,  they 
hauled  the  canoes  out  of  the  water,  secreted  them 
carefully,  and  then,  taking  their  arms,  made  a  detour 
through  the  forest  in  the  direction  of  the  cliff  before 
referred  to  by  Karlsefin.  In  less  than  half  an  hour 
they  reached  it,  and  found,  as  had  been  anticipated, 
that  it  commanded  a  view  of  the  native  encamp- 
ment, which  to  their  dismay  they  now  discovered 
was  an  immense  one,  filled  with  many  hundreds  of 
men,  besides  women  and  children. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  311 

Here,  prone  on  their  breasts,  and  scarce  ventur- 
ing to  raise  their  heads  above  the  grass,  the  two 
leaders  held  a  consultation,  while  their  men  kept 
well  in  the  background. 

"  This  is  an  unfortunate  business,"  said  Karlsefin. 

" Truly  it  is"  replied  Thorward ;  " but  the  ques- 
tion is,  can  this  be  the  set  of  rascals  who  carried 
off  the  children?  It  seems  to  me  that,  being 
a  small  band,  as  we  know,  they  did  not  belong 
to  the  same  set." 

"  That  may  be  so,  Thorward ;  but  I  incline  to  the 
belief  that  the  small  party  was  but  an  offshoot  from 
the  large  one,  and  that  our  dear  little  ones  are  even 
now  with  the  people  before  us." 

As  if  to  put  the  matter  beyond  doubt,  Olaf,  with 
Snorro  on  his  back,  issued  at  that  moment  from  the 
woods  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  and  went 
out  upon  the  identical  spit  of  sand  where,  on  the 
previous  evening,  he  had  held  such  bitter  commun- 
ings  with  his  own  spirit.  The  Norseman  leaders  recog- 
nised the  children  at  once,  being  almost  within  hail 
of  them,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  they  restrained 
the  impulse  to  spring  to  their  feet  and  shout. 

"  Thanks  be  to  God  for  the  sight  of  them  at  all 
events,"  said  Karlsefin  fervently ;  "  see,  the  dear  boy 
has  brought  my  darling  there  to  amuse  him. — Ah  ! 
little  dost  thou  know,  Olaf,  the  hold  that  thy  kind- 
ness has  given  thee  of  his  father's  heart !" 


312  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"  Twould  be  well  if  he  had  a  hold  of  the  father's 
hand  just  at  this  time,"  drily  observed  Thorward, 
who  was  not  gifted  with  much  of  a  sentimental 
temperament. 

"That  is  not  easy  of  accomplishment,"  returned 
the  other.  "  Even  you  would  scarcely,  methinks, 
advise  so  small  a  band  of  men  to  make  an  open 
attack  on  five  or  six  hundred  savages." 

"  I  would  not  advise  it,"  replied  Thorward ;  never- 
theless, if  it  came  to  the  worst  I  would  do  it.  But 
what,  then,  is  your  advice  ? " 

"  Why,  until  it  comes  to  the  worst  we  must  try 
strategy,"  answered  Karlsefin.  "  I  will  call  Hake  to 
our  council ;  the  youth,  I  have  observed,  is  a  deep 
thinker,  and  clear-sighted." 

When  Hake  was  summoned,  and  had  laid  him- 
self down  beside  his  leaders,  he  remained  for  some 
time  silently  gazing  on  the  busy  scene  below,  where 
some  men  in  canoes  were  spearing  fish  in  the  bay, 
and  others  were  skinning  and  cutting  up  deer  near 
the  edge  of  the  woods,  while  women  were  cooking 
and  engaged  in  other  domestic  duties  at  the  doors 
of  the  tents,  and  children  and  dogs  were  romping 
about  everywhere. 

"  Could  we  not  get  into  our  canoes,"  suggested 
Thorward,  "  make  a  dash  at  the  spit  of  sand,  and 
carry  off  the  children  at  a  swoop  before  the  brown- 
skinned  rascals  were  well  aware  of  us  ?" 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  313 

"  They  would  see  us  before  we  got  half-way  to 
the  spit,"  replied  Karlsefin,  "  carry  the  childrenin  to 
the  woods,  and  then  be  ready  to  receive  us  in  hun- 
dreds on  shore. — What  think  you,  Hake ;  can  you 
suggest  any  plan  of  outwitting  these  savages  ? " 

"  I  have  a  plan,"  answered  the  Scot,  "  but  I  fear 
you  will  deem  it  foolish." 

"  Out  with  it,  man,  foolish  or  otherwise,"  said 
Thorward,  who  was  beginning  to  chafe  under  diffi- 
culties that  appeared  to  be  insurmountable,  even  by 
his  favourite  method — force  of  arms. 

"  If  ye  approve  of  it,"  returned  Hake,  "  I  will 
cross  the  river  alone  and  unarmed,  and  walk  straight 
to  the  spot  where  the  children  are  now  seated.  Much 
of  the  way  is  concealed  by  shrubs,  and  when 
I  saunter  across  the  open  part,  it  may  be  that 
I  shall  scarce  be  noticed  until  I  am  near  them.  If 
I  be,  then  will  I  make  a  dash,  catch  them  up, 
make  for  the  rapid,  plunge  in,  and,  on  gaining  the 
opposite  bank,  run  to  meet,  you.  We  can  then 
hasten  to  the  canoes — fight  our  way  to  them  if  need 
be — and  sweep  down  the  river.  We  shall  probably 
get  a  fair  start ;  and  if  so,  it  will  go  hard  but  we 
reach  Leifsgaard  before  they  overtake  us.  If  not, 
why—" 

Hake  touched  the  hilt  of  his  sword  by  way  of 
completing  the  sentence. 

"  A  rare  plan  ! "  said  Thorward  with  a  suppressed 


314  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

chuckle ;  "  and  how,  my  bold  youth,  if  thou  art 
observed  and  caught  before  getting  hold  of  the 
children?" 

"  I  will  then  set  my  wits  to  devise  some  other 
plan.  It  may  be  of  some  advantage  to  then!  that  I 
should  be  a  captive  along  with  the  children,  and  at 
most  it  is  but  one  man  lost  to  the  expedition." 

"  Ay,  but  that  would  be  a  heavy  loss,"  said  Karl- 
sefin;  "nevertheless  the  plan  seems  to  me  not  so 
unlikely — only  there  are  one  or  two  points  about 
which  I  have  my  doubts.  In  the  first  place, 
although  your  legs  are  marvellously  good,  I  fear 
that  with  the  additional  weight  of  Olaf  and  Snorro 
on  them,  the  fleet  runners  among  the  savages,  of 
whom  there  must  be  many,  would  soon  overtake 
thee." 

"  With  Olaf  on  my  back,  Suorro  under  my  left 
arm,  and  the  right  arm  free  to  swing — I  think  not," 
replied  Hake,  quietly  but  decidedly. 

"  Then  as  to  crossing  :  how  do  you —  ?" 

"  I  would  swim,"  replied  Hake. 

"  What !  with  the  weight  and  drag  of  wet  gar- 
ments to  cumber  you !"  exclaimed  Thorward ;  "  be- 
sides making  it  clear  to  the  savages,  if  they  caught 
you,  that  you  had  come  from,  the  opposite  bank  of 
the  river,  where  your  friends  might  be  expected  to 
be  waiting  for  you  !" 

"  I  would  tie  my  clothes  in  a  tight  bundle  on  the 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  315 

top  of  my  head,"  said  Hake.  "  Many  a  time  have 
I  crossed  the  streams  of  my  native  land  in  this 
manner." 

"  Well,  ye  have  a  ready  answer  for  everything," 
returned  Thorward ;  "  nevertheless  I  like  not  the 
plan." 

"  If  you  cannot  suggest  a  better,  I  am  disposed  to 
let  Hake  try  it,"  said  Karlsefin. 

Thorward  had  no  better  plan  to  suggest.  Indeed, 
the  more  he  thought  of  it  the  more  did  he  feel 
inclined  to  make  a  tremendous  onslaught,  cut  as 
many  men  to  pieces  as  he  could  before  having  his 
own  life  taken,  and  so  have  done  with  the  whole 
affair  for  ever.  Fortunately  for  Olaf  and  Snorro  his 
counsels  were  not  followed. 

In  a  few  minutes  Hake  was  ready.  His  brother 
was  ordered  to  lead  the  men  back  to  the  canoes, 
there  to  keep  in  close  hiding  and  await  further 
orders.  Meanwhile  Karlsefin  remained  on  the  cliff 
to  watch  the  result. 

Hake  felt  it  to  be  a  desperate  venture,  but  he 
was  possessed  of  that  species  of  spirit  which  rejoices 
in  such,  and  prefers  danger  to  safety.  Besides,  he 
saw  at  a  glance  that  there  would  be  no  chance  what- 
ever of  success  if  his  leaders  made  up  their  minds 
to  attempt  an  open  attack  against  such  fearful  odds. 

With  a  light  step  the  young  Scot  descended  to 
the  river,  thinking  of  Bertha  as  he  went.  A  few 


316  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

minutes  afterwards  he  was  seen — or  rather  his  head 
with  a  bundle  on  it  was  seen — crossing  the  river  by 
the  watchers  on  the  cliff.  A  few  minutes  later,  and 
he  was  on  the  opposite  shore  rapidly  putting  on  his 
light  garments.  Thereafter  he  entered  the  bushes, 
and  a  glimpse  could  be  caught  of  him  ever  and  anon 
as  he  glided  swiftly,  like  the  panther  towards  his 
prey. 

When  the  last  point  capable  of  affording  conceal- 
ment was  gained,  Hake  assumed  a  careless  air,  and, 
with  his  head  down,  as  if  in  meditation,  sauntered 
towards  the  spit  of  land  where  Olaf  and  Snorro 
were  still  playing. 

"  Well  done  I"  exclaimed  Thorward,  with  a  look 
of  admiration ;  "  cleverly,  bravely  done  !" 

There  is  no  doubt  that  such  was  the  case,  and 
that  Hake  would  have  reached  the  children  unob- 
served by  the  natives  had  not  Olaf  chanced  to  notice 
him  while  he  was  yet  about  fifty  yards  off.  He 
recognised  him  at  once,  and,  with  a  shout  of  joy, 
ran  to  meet  him. 

Hake  dashed  past  him,  sprang  toward  Snorro, 
whom  he  caught  up,  and,  stooping,  cried — 

"  Up,  Olaf !  up  for  your  life  !" 

Olaf  understood  at  once,  sprang  on  his  back,  and 
held  on  tight,  while  Hake,  bending  low,  sped  away 
at  a  pace  that  defied  pursuit,  though  by  that  time 
a  hundred  savages  were  almost  at  his  heels  ! 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBrS.  317  * 

It  was  obvious  from  the  first  that  the  lithe  Scot 
was  well  able  to  achieve  his  purpose.  He  was 
already  nearing  the  rapid.  His  pursuers  were  far 
behind,  and  Karlsefin  could  scarcely  restrain  a  shout 
of  exultation  as  he  rose  to  run  round  to  his  canoes, 
when  he  observed  that  a  party  of  more  than  a  dozen 
natives,  who  chanced  to  be  ascending  the  river's 
bank  on  foot,  met  the  fugitive.  Observing  that  he 
was  a  stranger,  and  pursued  by  natives,  they  crossed 
his  path  at  once. 

Hake  stopped  abruptly,  glanced  at  the  bushes, 
then  turned  to  the  river,  and  was  on  the  point  of 
plunging  in,  when  a  canoe,  with  four  savages  in  it, 
shot  out  from  the  bank  just  below  him. 

He  saw  at  once  that  escape  was  impossible. 
Feeling  intuitively  that  submission  was  his  best 
policy,  he  set  the  children  on  the  ground  and  quietly 
suffered  himself  to  be  taken  prisoner. 

"  I  knew  it !  I  said  it !"  growled  Thorward  be- 
tween his  teeth,  as  he  sprang  up,  drew  his  sword, 
and  slashed  down  two  small  trees  at  a  single  stroke 
in  his  wrath,  then  rushing  through  the  woods,  he 
made  for  the  canoes. 

Karlsefin  followed  in  a  state  of  mind  almost  as 
furious.  It  was  such  a  bitter  disappointment  to  fail 
so  signally  on  the  very  eve  of  success  ! 

The  canoes  were  already  in  the  water  and  manned 
when  the  leaders  reached  them,  for  Heika,  who  had 


318  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

been  left  in  charge,  knew  well  that  whatever  might 
be  the  result  of  the  enterprise,  prompt  action  would 
be  necessary. 

"  Quick,  shove  off!"  cried  Karlsefin,  taking  his 
place,  and  driving  his  paddle  into  the  water  with 
such  force  that  the  light  craft  shot  from  the  bank 
like  an  arrow. 

The  men  were  not  slow  to  obey.  The  fierce  spirit 
of  their  leader  seemed  to  be  catching,  and  the  foam 
curled  from  their  respective  bows,  leaving  a  long 
white  track  behind,  as  they  rushed  up  the  river  and 
swept  out  upon  the  broad  expanse  above. 

Of  course  they  had  been  seen  before  reaching 
that  point,  and  the  savages  immediately  lined  the 
banks  with  armed  men.  They  did  not,  however,  go 
out  upon  the  spit  of  sand  where  Olaf  and  Snorro  had 
first  been  observed  by  their  friends.  That  point  was 
so  high  up  the  stream,  that  it  did  not  seem  to  be 
considered  by  any  one  as  worthy  of  attention.  This 
Karlsefin  observed  at  once,  and  formed  his  plans 
accordingly.  He  advanced  as  if  he  were  about  to 
land  below  the  spit,  but  made  no  hostile  demonstra- 
tions of  any  kind,  and  paddled  so  quietly  on  nearing 
the  shore,  that  the  savages  did  not  seem  to  under- 
stand him,  and,  although  ready  with  their  arrows 
for  instant  action,  they  remained  passive. 

When  within  a  short  distance  of  the  land,  Karl- 
sefin suddenly,  but  still  quietly,  turned  the  head  of 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  319 

his  canoe  up  the  stream,  and  made  for  the  spit  of 
sand.  The  other  canoes  followed.  The  natives,  per- 
ceiving the  intention  of  the  strangers,  uttered  a  wild 
shout,  and  made  for  the  same  place  along  the  shore, 
"but  before  they  reached  it  Karlsefin  had  landed  with 
all  his  men,  and,  with  their  stalwart  figures  and 
strange  arms,  presented  such  an  imposing  front  that 
the  natives  stopped  short. 

At  this  point  the  crowd  opened  a  little  to  let 
some  one  pass,  and  Whitepow  came  to  the  front. 
Judging  him  to  be  the  chief,  Karlsefin  at  once  laid 
down  his  sword,  and,  stepping  a  few  paces  in  front 
of  his  men,  held  up  his  hands  and  made  demonstra- 
tions of  a  peaceful  kind. 

But  Whitepow  was  not  peacefully  inclined.  Al- 
though aged,  he  was  a  sturdy  fellow,  stood  erect,  and 
carried  a  heavy  club  on  his  shoulder.  To  the  Norse- 
man's demonstrations  he  replied  by  frowning  fiercely 
and  shaking  his  head  savagely,  as  though  to  intimate 
that  he  was  much  too  old  a  bird  to  be  taken  in  with 
such  chaff.  Then,  turning  to  those  beside  him,  he 
gave  an  order,  which  resulted  in  Hake  being  led 
to  the  front  with  his  arms  tightly  bound  to  his 
sides. 

"Ah!"  thought  Karlsefin,  "if  you  had  only 
brought  the  children  to  that  spot,  I  would  have 
rescued  them  at  all  hazards." 

He  did  not,  however,  think  it  wise  to  make  so 


320        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

desperate  an  attempt  merely  to  rescue  Hake,  while 
the  children  were  still  concealed  and  at  the  mercy 
of  the  savages.  He  therefore  put  on  his  blandest 
looks  and  manner,  and  again  invited  confidence,  but 
Whitepow  again  shook  his  head,  pointed  backwards  as 
if  in  reference  to  the  two  children,  and  then  at  Hake, 
after  which  he  flung  his  club  with  such  violence 
and  precision  at  Karlsefin's  head  that  the  stout 
Norseman  would  certainly  have  measured  his  length 
on  the  sand,  if  he  had  not  been  very  much  on  the 
alert.  As  it  was,  he  received  the  missile  on  his 
shield,  from  which  it  glanced  with  a  loud  clang,  and 
went  hissing  into  the  river. 

Karlsefin  smiled,  as  if  that  sort  of  thing  rather 
amused  him  than  otherwise,  and  again  held  up  his 
hands,  and  even  advanced  a  step  or  two  nearer, 
while  the  concourse  of  savages  gave  vent  to  a  shout 
of  surprise.  It  is  probable  that  Whitepow  was  a 
hero  whose  artillery  had  hitherto  been  the  messen- 
ger of  certain  death  to  foes.  The  failure  of  the 
club  seemed  to  exasperate  the  old  savage  beyond 
endurance,  for  he  instantly  seized  a  bow,  and  let  fly 
an  arrow  at  the  Norseman  leader.  It  was  well 
aimed,  but  was  also  caught  on  the  shield,  and  fell 
broken  to  the  ground. 

Seeing  this,  some  of  the  Norsemen  hastily  drew 
their  bows,  but  Karlsefin,  anticipating  something  of 
the  kind,  turned  about  and  bade  them  forbear. 


OR  AMERICA.  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  321 

Meanwhile  Whitepow  had  ordered  his  warriors  to 
remove  Hake,  and  to  fall  back  a  little.  This  they 
did,  and  appeared  to  be  awaiting  further  orders  from 
their  chief,  who  had  gone  up  towards  the  tents. 
The  movement  puzzled  Karlsefin,  who  rejoined  his 
men. 

"  It  is  my  advice,"  said  Thorward,  "  that  we  hesi- 
tate no  longer.  Stand  or  fall,  we  are  in  for  a  fight 
now,  so  the  sooner  we  begin  the  better.  No  doubt 
the  odds  are  great,  but  they  don't  seem  to  be  able 
for  much — at  least  if  that  old  chap  gave  us  a  good 
specimen  of  their  powers." 

Most  of  the  Norsemen  appeared  to  agree  with 
this  advice,  but  Karlsefin  did  not. 

"  You  forget,"  said  he,  "  that  this  would  not  be  a 
mere  trial  of  strength.  If  we  once  begin,  and  chance 
to  fail,  every  man  of  us  must  die,  and  our  colony, 
thus  left  so  weak,  would  stand  a  small  chance  of 
surviving  in  the  midst  of  so  many  savages.  Besides 
— the  children  would  be  lost  for  ever!  It  is  my 
opinion  that  we  should  wait  a  little  to  see  what  this 
movement  implies.  Perhaps  that  white-haired  old 
savage  may  have  recovered  his  temper  and  senses 
by  this  time,  and  is  making  up  his  mind  to  have 
peace  instead  of  war.  God  grant  that  it  may  be 
so." 

Instead  of  replying  Thorward  frowned  darkly,  and 
with  something  of  a  savage  sneer  on  his  lip  pointed 

x 


322  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

to  a  bend  in  the  river  above  them,  round  which,  at 
that  moment,  a  hundred  canoes  swept,  and  came 
swiftly  towards  them. 

"  Looks  that  like  peace  ? "  he  said  bitterly. 

Karlsefin's  countenance  fell. 

"  All  is  lost ! "  he  muttered,  in  a  tone  that  was 
rather  sad  than  fierce.  "  Oh  my  tender  little 
child!" 

Crushing  down  his  feelings  with  a  mighty  effort, 
he  turned  to  the  men,  and  quietly  but  quickly 
arranged  them  in  a  circle,  with  their  faces  out- 
wards, so  that  they  presented  a  front  in  all  direc- 
tions. 

"  Now,  ye  men  of  Norway  and  Iceland,"  he  said, 
"the  day  has  come  at  last  when  ye  must  prove 
yourselves  worthy  descendants  of  a  noble  race. 
Our  cause  this  day  is  a  right  cause,  and  God  is  with 
the  right,  whether  it  please  Him  to  send  death 
or  victory.  Quit  you  like  men,  and  let  us  teach 
these  Skraelingers  how  to  fight — if  need  be,  how  to 
die." 

Taking  his  stand  on  the  landward  side  of  his 
men,  and  ordering  Thorward  to  do  the  same  in 
the  direction  of  the  water,  he  calmly  awaited  the 
onset. 

And  now,  indeed,  it  seemed  as  if  a  fierce  and 
bloody  battle  were  about  to  begin,  for  when  the 
canoes  of  their  comrades  swept  round  the  point  of 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  323 

land,  as  already  described,  the  savages  on  shore, 
constantly  reinforced  by  new  arrivals,  began  to  move 
steadily  down  in  an  overwhelming  mass  towards 
the  spit  of  sand,  and  the  heroes  who  stood  there, 
though  comparatively  so  few  in  number,  were, 
with  their  superiority  of  weapons  and  courage, 
certain  to  make  a  fearfully  prolonged  and  bloody 
resistance. 

Affairs  had  reached  this  critical  point,  when 
a  sudden  and  loud  shout  was  heard  down  the  river. 
All  eyes  were  turned  in  that  direction,  and  there 
several  canoes  were  seen  coming  round  the  bend 
of  the  river,  full  of  armed  men.  The  descent 
of  the  native  fleet  was  checked.  The  Norsemen 
at  once  recognised  their  comrades,  and  greeted 
their  approach  with  a  lusty  cheer.  In  another 
minute  the  new  comers  had  leaped  upon  the  sand. 

"  Welcome,  welcome,  Biarne ! "  exclaimed  Thor- 
ward,  seizing  and  wringing  his  friend's  hand  in 
great  delight.  "  Why,  man,  we  had  all  but  taken 
leave  of  each  other,  but  we  shall  have  another  tale 
to  tell  now." 

"  May  God  bless  you,  Biarne,  for  coming  so  oppor- 
tunely," said  Karlsefin.  "  Let  your  men  join  and 
extend  the  circle.  There,  spread  it  out  wider ;  that 
will  do.  I  won't  trouble  you  with  questions  just 
now,  Biarne,  as  to  what  made  you  think  of  coming. 
We  have  more  pressing  work  on  hand." 


324        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST. 

Thus  saying,  the  leader  busied  himself  in  ar- 
ranging his  reinforcements,  while  the  savages  held 
back,  and  awaited  the  result  of  a  consultation 
between  Whitepow  and  the  chief  men  of  the 
tribe. 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

DIFFICULTIES    REGARDING    INTERCOMMUNICATION— THE    POWER    OF 
FINERY  DISPLAYED — ALSO  THE  POWER  OF  SONG  AND  SENTIMENT. 

THE  additional  force  thus  opportunely  gained  by 
the  Norsemen,  although  hailed  with  so  much  en- 
thusiasm, did  not  very  materially  alter  their  posi- 
tion. True,  they  now  formed  a  company  of  above- 
fifty  stout  and  well-armed  men,  who,  in  the  hour  of 
extremity,  could  make  a  formidable  resistance  to  any 
foe,  however  numerous  ;  but  what  chance  had  they 
of  ultimately  escaping  from  upwards  of  a  thousand 
savages,  every  man  of  whom  was  an  adept  at  bush- 
warfare;  could  dart  from  tree  to  tree,  and  harass 
and  cut  off  in  detail  an  enemy  whom  he  would  not 
dare,  or  did  not  care,  to  face  in  the  open  field — 
which  latter  mode  of  warfare  was  more  natural  and 
congenial  to  the  Norsemen  ? 

This  truth  soon  began  to  force  itself  upon  Karl- 
sefin's  understanding;  but  as  he  feared  to  damp 
the  spirits  of  his  less  thoughtful  comrades,  he  kept 

his  anxieties  to  himself,  and  made  the  best  dispo- 
se 


326  THE  NOKSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

sition  of  his  force  that  was  possible  in  the  circum- 
stances. 

Very  soon  there  was  a  movement  among  the 
savages  on  shore,  and  its  object  was  not  long  of 
being  apparent,  for  presently  a  fleet  of  canoes  was 
seen  ascending  the  river.  At  the  same  time  the 
other  fleet  renewed  its  advance  from  above,  while 
the  men  on  shore  moved  once  more  towards  the 
spit  of  sand. 

"  They  mean  to  attack  on  all  sides  at  once,"  said 
Biarne. 

"  Let  them  come,"  growled  Thorward.  "  Tis  death 
or  victory  now,  lads." 

No  one  spoke,  but  the  eagle  glances  of  the  men, 
and  their  firm  grasp  of  sword  and  spear,  told  that 
they  were  ready ;  and  once  more  it  seemed  as  if  the 
bloody  fight  were  about  to  begin,  when  again  it  was 
interrupted  by  a  shout.  This  time  the  shout  came 
from  the  woods,  from  which,  a  few  minutes  later,  a 
solitary  savage  was  seen  to  issue.  He  appeared  to 
be  in  haste,  and  ran  through  the  crowd  of  warriors, 
who  made  way  for  him,  straight  towards  the  white- 
haired  chief,  to  whom  he  appeared  to  speak  with 
great  fervour  and  many  gesticulations,  though  he 
was  too  far  off  to  be  heard,  or  his  countenance  to  be 
distinctly  seen,  by  the  Norsemen. 

"  That  fellow  brings  news  of  some  sort  or  other, 
I  should  say,"  remarked  Biarne. 


OK  AMEE1CA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  327 

"  Whatever  his  news  may  be,"  replied  Karlsefin, 
"I  don't  think  it  will  be  likely  to  do  much  for 
us." 

"  The  rascal's  figure  seems  not  unfamiliar  to  me," 
said  Thorward. 

At  that  moment  the  crowd  of  chiefs  around 
White pow  shouted  the  word  "  Ho  !"  apparently  in 
approbation  of  something  that  he  had  just  remarked, 
and  immediately  after  the  man  whom  Thorward  had 
styled  a  rascal  began  to  talk  and  gesticulate  again 
more  violently  than  ever. 

"  What  is  the  man  after  now  ?"  said  Thorward. 
"  It  seems  to  me  that  he  is  mad." 

The  savage  did  indeed  appear  to  be  slightly  de- 
ranged, for,  in  the  midst  of  his  talk,  he  took  an 
arrow  and  went  through  the  pantomime  of  dis- 
charging it ;  then  he  applied  the  point  of  it  to  his 
own  back,  and  fell  down  as  if  wounded ;  whereupon 
he  rose  quietly  and  kneeled  with  a  tender  air,  as  if 
in  the  act  of  succouring  a  wounded  man ;  and  there- 
after went  on  to  perform  other  pantomimic  acts, 
which  at  last  induced  Thorward  to  open  his  eyes 
very  wide  and  whistle,  as  he  exclaimed — 

"  Why,  'tis  Utway,  that  fellow  who  was  half 
killed  in  our  first  brush  with  the  Skraelingers." 

"  Ay,  and  who  was  so  tenderly  nursed  by  Bertha/' 
added  Biarne. 

"  There  can  be  no  doubt  of  it,"  said  Karlsefin,  in 


328        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

a  cheerful  voice ;  "  and  now  have  I  some  hope  of  a 
peaceful  end  to  this  affair,  for  what  else  can  he  be 
doing  but  pleading  our  cause  ?" 

"  I  'm  not  so  sure  of  that,"  replied  Thorward. 
"  He  may  just  as  likely  be  telling  them  what  lots  of 
good  things  might  be  got  by  killing  us  all  and  taking 
possession  of  Leifsgaard." 

"  The  question  will  soon  be  settled,  Thorward, 
for  here  comes  the  savage,"  said  Biarne. 

This  was  true.  Having  finished  his  talk,  what- 
ever it  was,  and  heard  a  brief  reply  from  Whitepow, 
Utway  turned  round  and  ran  fearlessly  towards  the 
Norsemen. 

"  I  will  go  meet  him,"  said  Karlsefm. 

"  There  may  be  danger  in  that,"  suggested  Biarne. 

"  Greater  danger  in  showing  distrust,"  replied 
Karlsefm.  "  Confidence  should  beget  confidence." 

Without  more  words  he  flung  down  sword  and 
shield,  and  advanced  unarmed  to  meet  the  savage, 
whom  he  shook  warmly  by  the  hand — a  style  of 
salutation  which  Utway  thoroughly  understood, 
having  learned  it  while  lying  wounded  in  Leifs- 
gaard. 

They  could  not  of  course  make  use  of  speech, 
but  Utway  was  such  a  powerful  gesticulator  that  it 
was  not  difficult  to  make  out  his  meaning.  After 
shaking  hands  he  put  his  hand  on  his  heart,  then 
kid  it  on  Karlsefin's  breast,  and  pointed  towards  the 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  329 

old  chief  with  an  air  that  would  have  done  credit  to 
a  courtier. 

Karlsefin  at  once  took  the  hand  of  the  savage, 
and  walked  with  him  through  the  midst  of  the 
native  chiefs,  above  whose  heads  he  towered  con- 
spicuously, until  he  stood  before  Whitepow.  Taking 
off  his  iron  helmet  he  bowed  to  the  old  chief,  an  act 
which  appeared  to  afford  that  worthy  much  satisfac- 
tion, for,  although  he  did  not  venture  to  return  the 
bow,  he  exclaimed  "  Ho  !"  with  solemn  emphasis. 

This  was  all  very  pleasant,  but  it  was  not  much. 
Karlsefin,  therefore,  tried  his  hand  at  a  little  gesti- 
culation, while  the  natives  gazed  at  him  with  speech- 
less interest.  Whitepow  and  Utway  then  replied 
with  a  variety  of  energetic  demonstrations,  some  of 
which  the  Norseman  understood,  while  of  others  he 
could  make  nothing  at  all,  but  the  result  of  it  all 
was,  that  Utway  made  a  final  proposal,  which  was 
very  clear,  to  the  effect  that  the  Norsemen  should 
approach  the  savages,  mingle  with  them,  and  be 
friends. 

To  this  Karlsefin  returned  a  decided  negative,  by 
shaking  his  head  and  frowning  portentously.  At 
the  same  time  he  stooped  and  held  his  hand  about 
two  feet  from  the  ground,  as  if  to  indicate  some- 
thing that  stood  pretty  nearly  that  height.  Then  he 
tenderly  patted  the  top  of  the  imaginary  thing,  what- 
ever it  was,  and  took  it  up  in  his  arms,  kissed  it, 


330  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

and  laid  it  on  his  breast.  After  that  he  indicated 
another  thing  somewhat  higher,  which  he  also  patted 
on  the  top.  Thereafter  he  pressed  his  arms  close  to 
his  side  and  struggled  as  if  to  get  loose  from  some- 
thing, but  could  not  until  he  had  taken  hold  of  an 
imaginary  knife,  cut  the  something  which  bound 
him,  and  set  his  arms  free. 

All  this  was  apparently  understood  and  immensely 
relished  by  the  natives,  who  nodded  to  each  other 
and  vociferated  "  Ho  !"  to  such  an  extent  that  the 
repetition  caused  it  to  sound  somewhat  like  a  fiendish 
laugh.  But  here  Whitepow  put  in  his  veto,  shook 
his  head  and  appeared  inexorable,  whereupon  Karl- 
sefin  crossed  his  arms  on  his  breast  and  looked 
frowningly  on  the  ground. 

Things  had  just  reached  this  uncomfortable  pass, 
when  Karlsefin's  eye  chanced  to  fall  on  the  end  of  a 
piece  of  bright  scarlet  cloth  with  which  Gudrid  had 
smilingly  ornamented  his  neck  before  he  set  out 
on  this  expedition, — just  as  a  young  wife  might,  in 
chivalrous  ages,  have  tied  a  scarf  to  her  knight's 
arm  before  sending  him  off  to  the  wars. 

A  sudden  idea  flashed  upon  him.  He  unfastened 
the  strip  of  cloth,  and,  advancing,  presented  it  to 
Whitepow,  with  a  bland  smile. 

The  aged  chief  was  not  proof  against  this.  He 
gazed  at  the  brilliant  cloth  with  intense  admiration, 
and  expressed  as  much  delight  at  receiving  it  as  if 


OIL  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  331 

he  had  been  a  child — which,  by  the  way,  he  was,  in 
regard  to  such  fabrics  and  in  his  inability  to  restrain 
his  feelings. 

Eejoiced  to  observe  the  good  effect  thus  produced, 
Karlsefin  did  his  best  to  assure  the  chief  that  there 
was  plenty  more  of  the  same  in  his  possession,  be- 
sides other  things — all  of  which  Utway  corroborated, 
— and  signified  that  he,  "Whitepow,  should  have  large 
quantities  thereof  if  he  would  restore  the  captives 
to  their  friends.  In  order  to  add  force  to  what  he 
said,  he  drew  from  his  pouch  or  wallet  several  small 
metal  ornaments  strung  together  like  beads,  and  pre- 
sented these  also  to  Whitepow,  as  well  as  to  several 
of  the  chiefs  who  stood  nearest  to  him.  At  the  same 
time  he  uncovered,  as  if  inadvertently,  a  magnificent 
silver  brooch  which  hung  round  his  neck,  under  his 
leathern  war-shirt. 

This  brooch  was  by  no  means  a  trifling  bauble. 
It  was  massive,  beautifully  carved,  and  hung  round 
with  little  silver  cups  and  diamond-shaped  pieces  of 
silver  about  the  size  of  a  man's  thumb-nail.  It  was 
much  prized  by  its  owner  on  account  of  being  an 
heirloom  of  his  family,  having  been  carried  to  Ice- 
land by  his  forefathers  when  they  were  expatriated 
from  Norway  by  King  Harald  Fairhair. 

Whitepow's  eye  at  once  fell  on  the  brooch,  and 
he  expressed  a  strong  desire  to  possess  it. 

Karlsefin  started  as  if  in  alarm,  seized  the  brooch 


332         THE  NOKSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

with  both  hands,  held  it  aloft,  and  gazed  at  it  in  a 
species  of  veneration,  then,  clasping  it  to  his  breast, 
shook  his  head  by  way  of  an  emphatic  "  No  !" 

Of  course  Whitepow  became  doubly  anxious  to 
have  it ;  whereupon  Karlsefin  again  stooped,  and, 
placing  his  hand  about  two  feet  from  the  ground, 
patted  the  top  of  the  thing  indicated,  and  said  that 
he  might  have  the  brooch  for  that  and  the  other 
things  previously  referred  to. 

Whitepow  pondered  a  few  minutes,  and  Utway 
said  something  very  seriously  to  him,  which  resulted 
in  his  giving  an  order  to  two  of  his  chiefs,  who  at 
once  left  the  group.  They  quickly  returned,  leading 
Hake  and  the  children  between  them — the  former 
being  still  bound  at  the  elbows. 

There  was  something  quite  startling  in  the  shout 
of  surprise  that  Olaf  gave  on  observing  Karlsefin. 
It  was  only  equalled  by  the  shriek  of  glee  that  burst 
from  Snorro  when  he  recognised  his  father. 

Olaf  instantly  seized  Snorro  and  ran  towards 
him.  Karlsefin  met  them  more  than  half  way,  and, 
with  an  expression  of  deep  thankfulness,  caught  up 
his  little  one  and  strained  him  to  his  heart,  while 
Olaf  tightly  embraced  his  leg  ! 

But,  recollecting  himself  instantly,  he  set  Snorro 
down,  removed  the  silver  brooch  from  his  neck  and 
placed  it  in  the  hand  of  the  old  chief.  At  the  same 
time  he  pointed  to  Hake's  bonds.  Whitepow  under- 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  333 

stood  him,  and,  drawing  his  stone  knife,  cut  these 
asunder. 

"Make  no  haste,  Hake,"  said  his  leader,  "but 
take  Snorro  in  your  arms  and  Olaf  by  the  hand,  and 
walk  slowly  but  steadily  towards  your  comrades.  If 
any  one  oifers  to  intercept  you,  resist  not,  but  turn 
and  come  back  hither." 

Hake  made  no  reply,  but  did  as  he  was  bid,  and 
was  soon  in  the  midst  of  his  comrades.  Mean- 
while Karlsefin,  whose  joy  almost  prevented  him 
from  maintaining  the  dignity  that  was  appropriate 
to  the  occasion,  took  off  every  scrap  in  the  shape  of 
ornament  that  he  possessed  and  presented  all  to 
Whitepow,  even  to  the  last  bauble  in  the  bottom  of 
his  wallet,  and  he  tried  to  make  the  old  man  under- 
stand that  all  his  men  had  things  of  a  similar  kind 
to  bestow,  which  would  be  brought  to  him  if  he 
would  order  the  great  mass  of  his  people  to  retire 
to  a  considerable  distance,  retaining  only  about  his 
person  a  party  equal  in  numbers  to  the  Norsemen. 

To  this  the  chief  seemed  inclined  to  object  at 
first,  but  again  Utway's  eloquence  and  urgency  pre- 
vailed. The  old  man  stood  up,  shouted  an  order  in 
the  voice  of  a  Stentor,  and  waved  his  hand.  The 
whole  multitude  at  once  fell  back  to  a  considerable 
distance,  leaving  only  a  few  of  the  principal  men 
around  their  chief. 


334  THE  NOKSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

Karlsefin  now  turned  to  his  men  and  shouted  for 
Hake. 

The  active  Scot  instantly  bounded  towards  him — 
not  less  with  desire  to  serve  his  deliverer  than  with 
delight  at  finding  himself  once  more  free ! 

"  Go  back,  Hake,  and  tell  the  men  to  come  quietly 
hither  in  a  compact  body,  leaving  their  bows  and 
spears  behind  them,  only  carrying  each  man  his 
sword  and  shield.  Let  a  strong  guard  stay  with  the 
weapons  and  the  children,  and  see  that  Biarne  and 
Thorward  also  remain  with  them.  Quietly  place 
the  children  in  a  canoe,  and  do  you  and  Heika  stand 
ready  to  man  it." 

"  That  has  already  been  done,"  said  Hake. 

"  By  whose  orders  ?"  demanded  Karlsefin. 

"  At  my  suggestion,"  replied  Hake. 

"  Thou  art  a  wise  man,  Hake.  I  thank  thee. 
Go;  I  need  not  explain  that  two  canoes  at  least 
would  require  to  accompany  you,  so  as  to  repel 
attack  by  water,  and,  if  it  be  necessary,  to  flee, 
while  we  guard  the  retreat." 

"  That  has  already  been  arranged,"  said  Hake. 

"  Good,  good.  Then,  whatever  betide  us,  the  dear 
children  are  like  to  be  safe.  Get  you  gone,  Hake ; 
and,  harkee,  if  we  should  not  return,  be  sure  thou 
bear  my  love  to  Gudrid. — Away." 

Hake  bowed  in  silence  and  retired.     In  a  few 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  335 

minutes  the  greater  part  of  the  Norsemen  stood 
before  the  old  chief,  and,  by  Karlsefin's  command, 
every  man  who  chanced  to  have  any  trifling  orna- 
ment of  any  kind  about  him  took  it  off  and  pre- 
sented it  to  the  savages. 

Whitepovv,  in  return,  ordered  a  package  of  furs  to 
be  brought,  and  presented  each  man  with  a  beautiful 
sable.  Karlsefin  then  made  Utway  explain  that  he 
had  seen  much  valuable  cloth  and  many  ornaments 
in  the  Norsemen's  camp,  and  that  these  would  be 
given  in  exchange  for  such  furs, — a  piece  of  news 
which  seemed  to  gratify  the  savages,  for  they  pos- 
sessed an  immense  number  of  furs,  which  were  com- 
paratively of  little  value  to  them. 

Thus  amicable  relations  were  established ;  but 
when  Whitepow  invited  the  Norsemen  to  accompany 
him  to  his  village  and  feast,  Karlsefin  intimated  that 
he  intended  to  sup  and  pass  the  night  on  the  spit 
of  sand,  and  that  in  the  early  morning  he  would 
return  to  his  home,  whither  he  hoped  the  savages 
would  soon  follow  him  with  their  furs.  That,  mean- 
while, a  small  number  might  accompany  him,  if  they 
chose,  to  view  his  habitation  and  take  back  a  report. 
This  was  agreed  to,  and  thus  happily  the  conferences 
ended. 

That  night  the  Norsemen  held  high  carousal  on 
the  spit  of  sand,  partly  because  they  were  rejoiced 
at  the  successful  issue  of  the  expedition,  as  far  as  it 


336        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

had  gone,  and  partly  because  they  wished  to  display 
a  free-and-easy  spirit  to  the  savages.  They  drew  a 
line  at  the  narrowest  part  of  the  neck  of  land,  and 
there  posted  armed  sentinels,  who  resolutely  refused 
to  let  any  one  pass.  On  the  outward  edge  of  the 
spit,  other  sentinels  were  placed,  who  checked  all 
tendency  to  approach  by  water,  and  who — in  one 
or  two  instances,  when  some  obstinate  natives  at- 
tempted to  force  a  landing — overturned  the  canoes 
and  left  the  occupants  to  swim  ashore  the  best  way 
they  could. 

The  only  exception  to  this  rule  was  made  in 
favour  of  Utway  and  Whitepow,  with  the  grandson 
of  the  latter,  little  Powlet.  These  three  came  down 
to  the  spit  after  the  Norsemen  had  kindled  a  magni- 
ficent bonfire  of  dry  logs,  round  which  they  sat  and 
ate  their  supper,  told  sagas,  sang  songs,  cracked 
jokes,  and  drank  to  absent  friends  in  cans  of  pure 
water,  with  an  amount  of  dash,  fervour,  and  up- 
roarious laughter  that  evidently  raised  quite  a  new 
idea  in  the  savage  minds,  and  filled  them  with 
amazement  unutterable,  but  not  inexpressible,  for 
their  glaring  eyes,  and  lengthened  jaws,  and  open 
mouths  were  the  material  embodiment  of  surprise. 
In  fact,  the  entire  population  sat  on  the  surrounding 
banks  and  heights  nearly  the  whole  night,  with  their 
hands  and  chins  resting  on  their  knees,  listening  and 
gazing  in  silent  admiration  at  the  proceedings  of  the 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  337 

Norsemen,  as  a  vast  audience  might  witness  the  en- 
tertainments of  an  amphitheatre. 

The  utmost  hospitality  was  of  course  extended 
by  the  Norsemen  to  their  three  visitors,  who  par- 
took of  the  food  set  before  them  with  much  relish. 
Fortunately  some  of  the  men  who  had  been  left  to 
guard  the  arms  still  possessed  a  few  trinkets  and 
pieces  of  bright  cloth,  so  that  Karlsefin  was  again 
enabled  to  gratify  his  new  friends  with  a  few  more 
presents. 

"  Snorro,"  said  Karlsefin,  who  sat  beside  White- 
pow  in  front  of  the  fire  with  the  child  on  his  knee, 
"  are  you  glad  to  see  your  father  again  ?" 

"  Iss,"  said  Snorro,  responding  slightly  to  the 
tender  embrace  which  he  received. 

We  are  afraid  that  truth  requires  us  to  state,  that 
Snorro  had  not  quite  reached  the  age  of  reciprocal 
attachment — at  least  in  regard  to  men.  Of  course 
we  do  not  pretend  to  know  anything  about  the 
mysterious  feelings  which  he  was  reported  to  enter- 
tain towards  his  mother  and  nurse !  All  we  can  say 
is,  that  up  to  this  point  in  his  history  the  affections 
of  that  first-born  of  Vinland  appeared  to  centre 
chiefly  in  his  stomach — who  fed  him  best  he  loved 
most !  It  is  but  simple  justice  to  add,  however,  that 
Olaf  was,  in  Snorro's  eye,  an  exception  to  the  rule. 
We  really  believe  that  if  Olaf  had  starved  and 
beaten  him  during  the  first  half  of  a  day,  by  way  of 
y 


338        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

experiment,  Snorro  would  have  clung  to  him  and 
loved  him  throughout  the  other  half ! 

"  Come  hither,  Olaf,  take  this  bit  of  cloth  in 
your  hand,  and  present  it  to  that  little  boy,"  said 
Karlsefin,  pointing  to  Powlet.  "  He  seems  fond  of 
Snorro,  and  deserves  something." 

"  Fond  of  him  !"  exclaimed  Olaf,  laughing,  as  he 
presented  the  cloth  according  to  orders,  and  then 
returned  to  Snorro's  side.  "  You  should  have  seen 
the  way  he  made  Snorro  laugh  one  day  by  painting 
my  face." 

Here  Olaf  went  into  a  minute  account  of  the 
operation  referred  to,  and  told  it  with  so  much 
humour  that  the  Norsemen  threw  back  their  wild 
heads  and  shook  their  shaggy  beards  in  fits  of  up- 
roarious laughter,  which  awakened  the  echoes  of 
the  opposite  cliffs,  and  caused  the  natives  to  think, 
no  doubt,  that  the  very  rocks  were  merry. 

After  this  Krake  told  a  story  and  sang  a  rollick- 
ing song,  and  of  course  Hake  was  made  to  sing, 
which  he  readily  did,  giving  them  one  of  his  native 
airs  with  such  deep  pathos,  that  the  very  savages — 
unused  though  they  were  to  music — could  not  re- 
frain from  venting  a  murmur  of  admiration,  which 
rose  on  the  night-air  like  a  mysterious  throb  from 
the  hearts  of  the  dark  concourse. 

Immediately  after  Hake's  song  the  old  chief  and 
his  friends  took  their  leave.  The  sentinels  were 


OK  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  339 

now  changed  and  doubled,  the  fire  was  extinguished, 
each  Norseman  lay  down  with  his  hand  on  his  sword- 
hilt,  and  his  shield  above  him,  and  the  vast  multi- 
tude of  savages  melted  away  to  their  respective 
places  of  repose. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


THE  BURNING  OF  THE  FORTRESS—  A  THREATENED  FIGHT  ENDS  IN  A 
FEAST,  WHICH  LEADS  TO  FRIENDSHIP—  HAPPY  REUNION  AND  PRO- 
POSED DESERTION. 


morning,  according  to  arrangement,  the 
Norsemen  were  up  and  away  by  daybreak  ;  but 
they  did  not  start  off  alone.  A  much  larger  fleet 
than  they  had  bargained  for  accompanied  them. 
Karlsefin,  however,  made  no  objection,  partly  be- 
cause objection  would  have  been  unavailing,  and 
partly  because  the  natives  were  so  genuinely  well- 
disposed  towards  him,  that  he  felt  assured  there 
was  no  reason  to  distrust  them  or  to  fear  their 
numbers. 

Little  did  Karlsefin  think,  as  they  proceeded 
happily  and  leisurely  down  the  stream  at  that  time, 
the  urgent  need  there  was  for  haste,  or  the  dire  ex- 
tremity to  which  his  friends  at  Leifsgaard  had  been 
reduced.  Knowing,  of  course,  nothing  about  this, 
they  descended  by  easy  stages  and  encamped  in 
good  time  at  night,  in  order  to  have  their  fires 
lighted  and  food  cooked  before  daylight  had  quite 
disappeared,  so  that  they  might  have  the  more  time 

840 


AMERICA  BEF'ORE  COLUMBUS.  341 

to  sit  chatting  by  the  light  of  the  camp-fires  and 
enjoying  the  fine  summer  weather. 

On  the  other  hand,  had  Leif  only  known  how 
soon  his  friends  were  to  return,  he  might  have  held 
the  fortress  longer  than  he  did,  by  continuing  his 
desperate  sallies  to  check  the  raising  of  the  pile 
that  was  meant  to  burn  him  out;  but  not  being 
aware  of  this,  and  finding  that  the  necessity  for 
constant  vigilance  and  frequent  sallies  was  wearing 
out  his  men,  he  resolved  to  abandon  the  castle  to 
its  fate  and  take  to  the  ship. 

Watching  his  opportunity,  he  had  everything 
portable  collected,  and,  during  the  darkest  hour  of 
a  dark  night,  quietly  issued  from  the  little  fortress, 
descended  to  the  beach,  and  got  on  board  the  Snake, 
with  all  the  women  and  men,  without  the  savages 
being  aware  of  the  movement. 

Once  on  board,  he  fortified  the  vessel  as  well  as 
he  could,  and  hung  the  shields  round  the  bulwarks. 

Curiously  enough,  the  savages  had  fixed  on  that 
very  night  for  setting  fire  to  their  pile  of  timber, 
which  by  that  time  towered  to  a  height  that  made 
it  almost  equal  to  the  fortress  it  was  about  to  con- 
sume. At  grey  dawn  the  torch  was  applied  to  it. 
At  the  very  same  hour  Karlsefin  and  his  men, 
accompanied  by  their  savage  friends,  launched  their 
canoes  and  left  the  encampment  of  the  previous 
night. 


342  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

The  leader  of  the  fleet  had  purposely  encamped 
when  not  very  far  from  the  settlement,  preferring, 
with  such  a  large  and  unexpected  party,  rather  to 
arrive  in  the  morning  than  at  night. 

Great  then  was  the  surprise  of  the  Norsemen 
when,  soon  after  starting,  they  saw  a  dense  cloud 
of  smoke  rising  in  the  far  distance,  and  deep  was 
their  anxiety  when  they  observed  that  this  cloud  not 
only  spread  abroad  and  increased  in  density,  but 
appeared  to  float  exactly  over  the  place  where  the 
settlement  lay. 

"  Give  way,  lads !  push  on  !  There  is  something 
wrong  at  the  gaard,"  shouted  Karlsefm  when  he 
became  thoroughly  alive  to  the  fact. 

There  was  little  necessity  for  urging  the  men. 
Each  man  became  an  impulsive  volcano  and  drove 
his  paddle  into  the  water  with  such  force  and  fury 
that  the  canoes  almost  leaped  out  of  the  river  as 
well  as  over  it. 

Meanwhile  the  sun  rose  in  splendour,  and  with  it 
rose  the  mighty  flames  of  the  bonfire,  which  soon 
caught  the  neighbouring  trees  and  licked  them  up 
as  if  they  had  been  stubble.  Such  intense  heat 
could  not  be  long  withstood.  The  wooden  fortress 
was  soon  in  flames,  and  then  arose  a  yell  of  triumph 
from  the  savages,  which  sent  dismay  to  the  hearts 
of  those  who  were  approaching,  and  overawed  the 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  343 

little  band  that  still  lay  undiscovered  on  board  the 
Snake. 

But  when  it  was  ascertained  that  there  was  no 
one  in  the  fortress,  a  cry  of  fury  followed  the  shout 
of  triumph,  and  the  whole  band,  at  once  suspecting 
that  their  enemies  had  taken  to  their  vessel,  rushed 
down  to  the  shores  of  the  lake. 

There  they  found  the  Norsemen  ready  to  receive 
them ;  but  they  found  more  than  they  had  expected, 
for,  just  then,  Karlsefin  and  his  men  swept  round 
the  point  above  the  bay  with  a  tremendous  cheer, 
and  were  followed  by  a  continuous  stream  of  the 
canoes  of  their  savage  friends  whom  they  had  out- 
stripped in  the  mad  race. 

Karlsefin  did  not  wait  to  ascertain  how  affairs 
stood.  Enough  for  him  that  the  village  seemed  to 
be  in  flames.  Observing,  as  he  passed,  that  his 
comrades  and  the  women  were  safe  on  board  the 
Snake,  he  ran  the  canoes  high  and  dry  on  the  beach 
and  leaped  ashore.  Drawing  quickly  up  into  a 
compact  line,  the  Norsemen  rushed  with  wild  shout 
upon  the  foe.  The  natives  did  not  await  the  onset. 
Surprise  alone  had  kept  them  waiting  there  as  long 
as  they  did.  With  one  consent,  and  a  hideous  yell, 
they  turned  and  fled  like  autumn  leaves  before  the 
wind. 

Eeturning  to  the  friendly  savages,  who  had  looked 
on  at  all  this  in  some  surprise  and  with  no  little 


344        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

concern,  Karlsefm  looked  very  sternly  at  them, 
pointed  to  the  woods  into  which  his  enemies  had 
vanished,  shook  his  fist,  and  otherwise  attempted  by 
signs  to  indicate  his  displeasure,  and  to  advise  the 
instant  interference  of  the  friendly  savages  in  the 
way  of  bringing  about  peaceful  relations. 

The  natives  were  intelligent  enough  and  prompt 
in  action.  A  party  of  them  at  once  started  off  to  the 
woods,  while  Karlsefm  went  on  board  the  Snake, 
where  he  found  Leif  and  his  friends  right  glad  to 
meet  him,  and  the  women,  in  a  state  of  the  wildest 
delight,  almost  devouring  Olaf  and  Snorro,  who  had 
been  sent  direct  to  the  vessel  when  the  men  landed 
to  attack  the  savages. 

"'Tis  good  for  the  eyes  to  see  thy  sweet  face, 
Gudrid,"  he  said,  giving  his  wife  a  hearty  kiss,  "  and 
I  am  quite  sure  that  Snorro  agrees  with  me  in  that." 

"  He  does,  he  does,"  cried  Gudrid,  hugging  the 
child,  who  clung  round  her  neck  with  a  tenacity 
that  he  had  never  before  exhibited,  having  learned, 
no  doubt,  that  "absence  makes  the  heart  grow 
fonder/'  "  Oh !  I  am  so  happy,  and  so  thankful. 
My  sweet  bairn !  Where  did  you  find  him  ?  How 
did  you  rescue  him  ?  I  felt  sure  you  would  do  it. 
How  did  he  look  when  he  saw  you  ?  and " 

"  Hold,  Gudrid,"  cried  Karlsefin,  laughing,  "  joy 
has  upset  thy  judgment.  I  can  answer  but  one 
question  at  a  time." 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  CQLUMBUS.  345 

Gudrid  made  no  reply ;  indeed  she  did  not  seem 
to  expect  an  answer  to  her  queries,  for  she  had 
turned  again  to  Snorro  and  Olaf,  whom  she  over- 
whelmed with  embraces,  endearing  epithets,  and 
questions,  in  all  which  she  was  ably  assisted  by 
Bertha,  Astrid,  and  Thora.  Even  Freydissa  became 
soft  for  once ;  kissed  Olaf  and  Snorro  several  times 
in  a  passionate  manner,  and  was  unusually  gracious 
to  Thorward. 

"  Ye  came  in  the  nick  of  time,"  said  Leif,  as  he 
and  his  friends  retired  to  the  poop  for  a  brief 
consultation. 

"  So  it  would  seem,"  said  Biarne,  "  but  it  was  more 
by  good  fortune  than  good  planning,  for  I  left  you 
weak-handed ;  and  if  good  luck  had  not  brought  us 
here  just  at  the  time  we  did,  methinks  there  would 
have  been  heavy  hearts  among  us." 

"A  higher  Power  than  good  luck  brought  us 
hither  in  time,"  said  Karlsefin. 

"  That  is  true,"  said  Leif,  with  a  nod  and  an  earnest 
look  at  his  friend. 

"  I  doubt  it  not,"  returned  Biarne,  "  and  the  same 
Power  doubtless  led  me  to  start  off  with  a  reinforce- 
ment in  time  to  help  you  in  the  hour  of  need, 
Karlsefin.  But  it  is  my  advice  now  that  we  go 
ashore  and  put  the  huts  in  a  state  of  defence  as 
quickly  as  may  be. 

"  That  is  just  my  opinion,"  replied  Karlsefin,  "  for 


346  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

it  may  be  that  the  friendly  natives  will  find  it  easier 
to  be  converted  into  foes  than  to  turn  our  enemies 
into  friends.  What  is  your  advice,  Leif  ?  " 

"  That  we  land  and  do  as  Biarne  suggests  without 
delay." 

"  And  what  if  these  villains  come  down  'in  such 
overwhelming  numbers — as  they  now  can  easily  do 
— that  they  shall  carry  all  before  them  and  drive  us 
into  the  lake  ? "  asked  Thorward. 

"  Why,  man,"  cried  Biarne,  with  a  touch  of  ire, 
"  if  I  did  not  know  thee  well  I  would  say  that  thou 
wert  timid/' 

"  Knowing  me  well,  then,  as  ye  say,"  returned 
Thorward,  "  and  reserving  the  matter  of  timidity  for 
future  discussion,  what  reply  have  ye  to  make  to  my 
question?" 

"  That  we  must  make  up  our  minds  to  be  drowned, 
like  Freydissa's  cat,"  replied  Biarne. 

"  Nay,  not  quite  that,"  said  Leif,  with  a  smile ; 
"we  can  at  least  have  the  comfort  of  leaving  our 
bones  on  the  land  to  mingle  with  those  of  as  many 
savages  as  we  can  slay." 

"  The  thought  of  that  would  prove  a  great  com- 
fort to  the  women,  no  doubt,  when  they  were  carried 
off  by  the  savages,"  returned  Thorward,  with  a  touch 
of  sarcasm  in  his  tone. 

"I  see  what  you  mean,"  said  Karlsefin;  "  that  we 
should  have  the  Snake  ready  to  fall  back  on  if  we 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  347 

chance  to  be  beaten ;  but,  to  say  truth,  the  idea  of 
being  beaten  by  such  miserable  savages  never 
entered  my  head." 

"  The  consideration  of  your  head's  thickness,  then," 
said  Thorward,  "  would  be  an  additional  element  of 
comfort,  no  doubt,  to  the  women  in  case  of  things 
going  against  us." 

At  this  Karlsefin  laughed,  and  asked  Thorward 
what  he  would  advise. 

"  My  advice  is,"  said  he,  "  that  we  not  only  get 
the  Snake  ready  for  a  long  voyage,  but  that  we  haul 
round  my  ship  also, — which  by  good  fortune  is  here 
just  now — and  get  her  ready.  There  is  no  need  to 
put  our  goods  and  chattels  on  board,  for  if  things 
went  ill  with  us  we  could  no  doubt  keep  the  savages 
at  bay  long  enough  to  accomplish  that  by  means 
of  placing  Biarne  at  the  post  of  danger  with  orders 
to  die  rather  than  give  in ;  but  I  would  leave  the 
women  and  children  on  board  at  any  rate  to  keep 
them  out  of  harm's  way " 

"  And  it  is  my  advice,"  cried  Freydissa,  coming 
up  at  the  moment,  "  that  ye  set  about  it  at  once 
without  more  talk,  else  the  women  and  children 
will  have  to  set  you  the  example." 

There  was  a  general  laugh  at  the  tone  and  man- 
ner in  which  this  was  said,  and  the  four  chiefs  left 
the  poop  to  carry  out  their  plans.  Meanwhile  an 
immense  concourse  of  natives  assembled  on  the 


348        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

neighbouring  heights,  and  for  a  long  time  carried  on 
a  discussion,  which,  to  judge  from  the  violence  of 
their  gesticulations,  must  have  been  pretty  hot.  At 
last  their  meeting  came  to  an  abrupt  close,  and  a 
large  band  was  seen  to  separate  from  the  rest  and 
move  down  towards  the  hamlet. 

Before  they  reached  it  the  Norsemen  had  manned 
the  defences  and  awaited  them. 

"  They  come  on  a  peaceful  errand,  I  think,"  said 
Karlsefin,  who  stood  at  the  principal  opening.  "At 
least  it  seems  to  me  that  they  carry  no  arms.  What 
say  you,  Hake  ?  Your  eyes  are  sharp." 

"  They  are  unarmed,"  replied  Hake. 

This  was  found  to  be  the  case ;  and  when  they 
had  approached  to  within  a  long  bow- shot  of  the 
defences,  all  doubt  as  to  their  intention  was  removed 
by  their  holding  up  their  hands  and  making  other 
peaceful  demonstrations. 

Judging  it  wise  to  meet  such  advances  promptly 
and  without  suspicion,  Karlsefin  at  once  selected  a 
number  of  his  stoutest  men,  and  causing  them  to  lay 
aside  their  arms,  issued  forth  to  meet  the  savages. 
There  was,  as  on  a  former  occasion,  a  great  deal  of 
gesticulation  and  talking  with  the  eyes,  the  upshot 
of  which  was,  that  the  brown  men  and  the  white 
men  vowed  eternal  friendship,  and  agreed  to  in- 
augurate the  happy  commencement  thereof  with  a 
feast — a  sort  of  pic-nic  on  a  grand  scale — in  which 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  349 

food  was  to  be  supplied  by  both  parties,  arms  were 
to  be  left  at  home  on  both  sides,  and  the  scene  of 
operations  was  to  be  a  plot  of  open  ground  near  to, 
but  outside,  the  hamlet. 

It  is  easy  to  record  all  this  briefly,  but  it  must 
not  therefore  be  supposed  that  it  was  easy  of  ar- 
rangement, on  the  part  of  the  high  contracting 
parties,  whose  tongues  were  unavoidably  useless  in 
the  consultation. 

Krake  proved  himself  to  be  the  most  eloquent 
speaker  in  sign-language,  and  the  manner  in  which 
he  made  his  meaning  intelligible  to  the  savages  was 
worthy  of  philosophic  study.  It  is,  however,  quite 
beyond  the  powers  of  description ;  a  great  deal  of  it 
consisting  not  only  of  signs  which  might  indeed  be 
described,  but  of  sounds — guttural  and  otherwise — 
which  could  not  be  spelt.  We  are  constrained, 
therefore,  to  leave  it  to  the  reader's  imagination. 

At  the  feast  an  immense  quantity  of  venison  and 
salmon  was  consumed,  as  you  may  easily  believe, 
and  a  great  number  of  speeches  were  made  by  both 
parties — the  men  of  each  side  approving  and  ap- 
plauding their  own  speakers,  and  listening  to  those 
of  the  other  side  with  as  much  solemnity  of  atten- 
tion as  if  they  understood  every  word. 

There  were  two  points  of  great  interest  connected 
with  this  feast,  which  we  must  not  omit  to  mention. 
One  was,  the  unexpected  arrival,  in  the  middle  of 


350        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

it,  of  the  old  chief,  Whitepow,  in  a  canoe,  with 
Utway  and  a  few  of  his  principal  men,  and  his 
grandson  Powlet.  These  were  hailed  by  both  parties 
with  great  delight,  because  they  formed  an  addi- 
tional bond  of  union  between  them. 

It  had  been  arranged  by  Karlsefin,  for  the  sake 
of  security,  that  the  savages  and  Norsemen  should 
not  intermingle,  but  that  they  should  sit  in  two 
distinct  groups  opposite  to  each  other.  Whitepow, 
however,  ignorant  of,  or  indifferent  to  such  arrange- 
ments, passed  over  at  once  to  the  Norsemen  on  his 
arrival,  and  went  through  the  ceremony,  which  he 
had  so  recently  acquired,  of  shaking  hands  all  round. 
Powlet  also  followed  his  example,  and  so  did  Utway. 
They  then  sat  down,  and  the  latter  did  good  service 
in  the  cause  of  peace  by  making  an  enthusiastic 
speech,  which  the  Norsemen  could  see,  from  his 
pantomimic  motions,  related  to  his  own  good  treat- 
ment at  their  hands  in  time  past. 

Powlet  also  unwittingly  aided  in  the  same  good 
cause,  by  running  up  to  Olaf  and  bestowing  on  him 
a  variety  of  attentions,  which  were  all  expressive  of 
good- will  and  joy  at  meeting  with  him  again.  He 
also  shouted  the  name  of  Snorro  several  times  with 
great  energy,  but  Olaf  could  only  reply  by  shaking 
his  head  and  pointing  towards  the  hamlet  where 
Snorro  and  the  women  had  been  left  under  a  strong 
and  trusty  guard. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  351 

The  other  point  of  interest  to  which  we  have 
alluded  was,  that  a  number  of  the  savages  became 
particularly  earnest  and  eager,  when  the  eating  was 
concluded,  in  their  endeavours  to  impress  something 
on  their  new  friends,  which  they  could  not  for  a 
long  time  be  made  to  understand  even  by  the  most 
graphic  and  energetic  signs. 

"  I  fear,  Krake,  that  you  have  eaten  too  much,  or 
by  some  other  means  have  spoilt  your  powers  of 
interpretation,"  said  Leif  with  a  laugh,  as  the  puzzled 
interpreter  shook  his  head  for  the  fifth  time  at  an 
energetic  young  savage  with  a  red  spot  on  his  chin, 
and  a  blue  stripe  on  his  nose,  who  had  been  gesti- 
culating— we  might  almost  say  agonizing — before 
him  for  some  time. 

"  'Tis  beyond  my  powers  entirely,"  said  Krake. 
"  Try  it  again,  Bluenose,"  he  added,  turning  once 
more  to  the  savage  with  resolute  intensity  of  con- 
centration ;  "  drive  about  your  limbs  and  looks  a 
little  harder.  1 11  make  ye  out  if  it 's  in  the  power 
of  man." 

Thus  adjured,  the  young  savage  opened  his  mouth 
wide,  pointed  with  his  finger  down  his  throat,  then 
up  at  the  sky,  spread  both  hands  abroad  in  a  vague 
manner,  and  exclaimed  "  ho !"  as  though  to  say, 
"  that 's  plain  enough,  surely  !" 

"  Oh,  for  shame  !  Is  it  eaten  too  much  ye  have  ? 
Is  that  what  ye  want  to  say  ?" 


352        THE  NOESEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

That  was  evidently  not  what  he  wanted  to  say, 
for  the  poor  savage  looked  round  with  quite  a  dis- 
consolate aspect. 

"  Come  hither,  Powlet,"  cried  Biarne ;  "  you  're  a 
smart  boy ;  see  if  you  can  make  the  matter  some- 
what plainer." 

Powlet  at  all  events  understood  his  name,  and 
Biarne's  beckoning  finger,  for  he  rose  and  went  to 
him.  Biarne  confronted  him  with  the  young  savage, 
and  told  the  two  to  talk  with  each  other  by  means 
of  signs,  which  consisted  in  his  touching  the  lips  of 
both  and  thrusting  their  heads  together. 

The  young  savage  smiled  intelligently  and  spoke 
to  Powlet,  who  thereupon  turned  to  Biarne,  and, 
rolling  his  eyes  for  a  few  seconds,  uttered  a  low 
wail. 

"  Sure  it  isn't  pains  you're  troubled  with  ?"  asked 
Krake,  in  a  voice  of  pity. 

"  I  do  believe  it  must  be  that  they  refer  to  some 
one  whom  we  have  wounded  during  the  fight,"  sug- 
gested Leif,  "  and  that  they  think  we  have  him 
concealed  in  the  hamlet." 

"  It  seems  to  me,"  said  Thorward,  "  that  if  they 
were  troubled  about  a  wounded  or  missing  comrade, 
they  would  have  asked  for  him  sooner." 

"  That  is  true,"  replied  Leif.  "  I  wish  we  knew 
what  it  is  they  would  communicate,  for  they  appear 
to  be  very  anxious  about  it." 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  353 

As  he  spoke,  a  tall  savage,  with  an  unusually 
grave  countenance,  stalked  from  among  his  fellows, 
thrust  Powlet  and  the  young  man  whom  Krake  had 
styled  Bluenose  aside,  and  seated  himself  on  the 
ground  in  imitation  of  the  free-and-easy  manner  of 
the  Norsemen.  Suddenly  his  face  lighted  up.  He 
clapped  both  hands  to  his  chest  and  breathed  hard, 
then  raised  his  hands  aloft,  looked  enthusiastically 
up  at  the  sky,  rolled  his  eyes  in  a  fearful  manner, 
opened  his  mouth  wide,  and  gave  utterance  to  a 
series  of  indescribable  howls.  Checking  himself  in 
the  midst  of  one  of  these,  he  suddenly  resumed  his 
grave  aspect,  looked  straight  at  Krake,  and  said 
"  Ho  !" 

That  he  thought  he  had  hit  the  mark,  and  con- 
veyed the  meaning  of  himself  and  his  friends 
precisely,  was  made  evident  by  the  other  savages, 
who  nodded  their  heads  emphatically,  and  ex- 
claimed "  Ho  ! "  with  earnestness. 

"  H'm !  'tis  easy  to  say  '  Ho  ! '  replied  Krake, 
more  perplexed  than  ever,  "  and  if  '  Ho '  would  be  a 
satisfactory  answer,  I  'd  give  ye  as  much  as  ye  liked 
of  that ;  but  I  can't  make  head  or  tail  of  what  it  is 
ye  would  be  at." 

"Stay,"  exclaimed  Hake,  stepping  quickly  for- 
ward, "  I  think  I  know  what  they  want." 

Saying  this,  he  looked  earnestly  at  the  grave 
savage,  and  ran  over  one  or  two  notes  of  a  song. 

z 


354  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

No  words  in  any  language  could  convey  such  a 
powerful  meaning  as  did  the  beam  of  intelligence 
and  delight  which  overspread  the  faces  of  these  sons 
of  the  wilderness.  The  "ho  !  ho  !  hos  ;"  and  noddings 
were  repeated  with  such  energy,  that  Krake  advised 
them  to  "  stop  that,  lest  their  heads  should  come  off 
altogether ! " 

"I  thought  so,"  said  Hake,  turning  away  from 
them ;  "  they  want  you  to  give  them  a  song,  Krake." 

"  They  shall  have  that,  and  welcome,"  cried  the 
jovial  Norseman,  striking  up  the  "  Danish  Kings  "  at 
once,  with  all  the  fire  of  his  nature. 

The  natives  sat  in  rapt  solemnity,  and  when  the 
Norsemen  joined  laughingly  in  the  chorus,  they 
allowed  a  faint  smile  to  play  for  a  moment  on  their 
faces,  and  murmured  their  satisfaction  to  each  other 
when  the  song  was  done.  But  it  was  evident  that 
they  wanted  something  more,  for  they  did  not  seem 
quite  satisfied  until  one  of  their  number  rose,  and 
going  up  to  Hake  touched  his  lips  with  his  finger. 

"  Ha  !  I  thought  so !  exclaimed  Krake  in  con- 
tempt. "It's  bad  taste  ye  have  to  want  a  song 
from  him  after  hearing  me  !  But  what  else  could 
we  expect  from  ye  ? " 

Hake  willingly  complied  with  their  wish,  and  it 
then  became  evident  that  the  savages  had  gained 
their  point  at  last,  for  they  listened  with  half- 
closed  eyes,  and  more  than  half-opened  mouths, 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  355 

while  he  was  singing,  and  heaved  a  deep  sigh  when 
he  had  finished. 

Thus  pleasantly  was  the  feast  concluded,  and  thus 
they  sealed  their  friendship. 

But  there  was  something  still  more  satisfactory 
in  store  for  the  Norsemen,,  for  it  was  soon  after- 
wards discovered  that  the  savages  possessed  a  large 
quantity  of  beautiful  furs,  with  which,  of  course, 
they  were  willing  to  part  for  the  merest  trifle,  in  the 
shape  of  a  shred  of  brilliant  cloth  or  an  orna- 
mental bauble. 

This  was  not  only  fortunate,  as  affording  an  oppor- 
tunity for  the  Norsemen  to  procure  full  and  valu- 
able cargoes  for  both  their  ships,  but  as  creating 
a  busy  and  interesting  occupation,  which  would 
prevent  the  natives  from  growing  weary  of  inaction, 
and,  perhaps,  falling  into  those  forms  of  mischief 
which  proverbially  lie  ready  to  idle  hands. 

"  It  seems  to  me,  friends,"  said  Leif  one  evening, 
shortly  after  the  feast  just  described,  while  he  was 
seated  in  the  chief  hall,  polishing  his  iron  headpiece, 
and  occasionally  watching  the  active  hands  of  Gud- 
rid  and  Thora  as  they  busied  themselves  about 
domestic  affairs,  while  Bertha  sat  beside  him  dand- 
ling Snorro  on  her  knee, — "It  seems  to  me  that  we 
have  got  together  such  a  rich  cargo  that  the  sooner  we 
send  our  ships  to  Greenland  the  better.  They  can 
then  return  with  fresh  supplies  of  such  things  as  are 


356  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

needed  in  good  time.  For  myself,  I  will  go  with 
the  ships,  and  overlook  the  loading  of  them  in 
Greenland." 

"  Oh  !  may  I  go  with  you  ? "  exclaimed  Bertha, 
looking  up  suddenly  with  much  eagerness. 

Hake,  who  was  seated  at  the  lower  end  of  the 
hall,  busily  engaged  in  making  a  bow,  paused 
abruptly  in  -his  work,  but  did  not  raise  his  head. 

"  I  have  no  objection,  if  Freydissa  has  none," 
answered  Leif. 

"  Freydissa  will  be  only  too  glad  to  get  rid  of 
her,"  replied  that  amiable  woman,  who  was  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  a  leathern  tunic  for  Snorro ; 
"  she  is  tired  of  milk-and-water." 

"  And  yet  milk-and-water  is  more  likely  to  agree 
with  you  than  anything  resembling  beer,"  said 
Biarne,  with  a  laugh. 

"  I  should  be  sorry  to  leave  Vinland,"  returned 
Bertha,  "  but  I  am  very  very  anxious  to  see  my  dear 
father  again.  Besides — I  can  return  hither." 

Hake's  hand  was  suddenly  released,  and  resumed 
its  occupation. 

"  If  you  go,  Leif,"  asked  Karlsefin,  "  will  you 
return  and  spend  the  winter  with  us  ? " 

"  I  will  not  promise  that,"  replied  Leif,  with  a 
smile. 

There  was  silence  for  some  minutes,  which  was 
broken  at  length  by  a  very  small  voice  saying — 


OK  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  357 

"  'Norro  go  to  G'eenland  too  ? " 

Poor  Snorro  was  as  regardless  of  the  $  in  his  own 
name  as  he  was  of  the  I  in  Olafs ! 

"  'Norro  may  go,  if  Gudrid  will  allow  him,"  an- 
swered Leif,  patting  the  child's  curly  pate. 

"  And  O'af  too  ?"  added  Snorro. 

"  Of  course  I  must  go  if  Snorrie  goes,"  cried  Olaf, 
who  had  just  entered  the  hall.  "  We  could  not  live 
separate — could  we,  Snorrie?"  He  caught  up  the 
child  and  placed  him  on  his  back  in  his  wonted 
fashion.  "  Just  think,"  he  continued,  "  what  would 
it  do  in  Greenland  without  O'af  to  give  it  rides  and 
take  it  out  for  long  walks  ?" 

"  Ay,  and  go  lost  with  it  in.  the  woods,"  added 
Biarne. 

Olaf  blushed,  but  replied  promptly — 

"  That  would  be  impossible,  Biarne,  for  there  are 
no  woods  in  Greenland." 

"  If  Snorro  goes  so  must  I,"  said  Thora*  "  He  could 
not  get  on  without  his  nurse." 

"  Methinks  we  had  better  all.  go  together  to  Green- 
land," said  Astrid,  who- was  busy  preparing  supper. 

"Not  bad  advice,"  observed  Biarne,  somewhat 
seriously. 

"Do  you  mean  what  you  say?"  asked  Karlsefm. 

"  I  half  mean  it,"  replied  Biarne. 

There  was  a  pause  here.     Karlsefin  then  said — 

"  It  seems  to  me,  friends,  that  our  minds  are  all 


358        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST. 

jumping  together.  I  have  thought  for  a  long  time 
of  leaving  Vinland,  for  it  is  plain  to  me  that  as  we 
stand  just  now  we  cannot  make  much  headway. 
Many  of  our  men  are  longing  to  get  back  to  their 
families,  some  to  their  sweethearts,  and  some  to 
their  native  land ;  while,  from  what  you  have  said, 
it  would  seem  that  none  of  us  are  very  anxious  to 
remain." 

" Do  not  speak  for  all''  said  Thorward. 

"Well,  dost  thou  wish  to  stay  ?" 

"  It  may  be  that  I  do.  At  any  rate,  we  have  had 
much  trouble  in  coming  hither  and  settling  our- 
selves, and  it  would  be  a  pity  to  lose  all  our  labours 
unless  we  can't  help  it.  There  may  be  others  of  my 
way  of  thinking  in  the  colony.  It  is  my  advice  that 
before  we  discuss  such  a  matter  we  had  better  call  a 
Thing,1  and  do  it  in  an  orderly  way." 

"  By  all  means,"  said  Karlsefin,  "  let  us  discuss 
the  matter  for  decision  in  a  Thing ;  yet  our  discuss- 
ing here  for  amusement  is  not  disorderly." 

After  a  little  more  conversation  it  was  finally 
arranged  that  a  Thing,  or  general  assembly  of  the 
people,  should  be  called  on  the  following  day,  to  dis- 
cuss and  decide  on  the  propriety  of  forsaking  Vin- 
land and  returning  home. 

1  An  assembly  for  discussion. 


CHAPTEE  XXV. 

THE  FIRST  CONGRESS  AND  THE  LAST  FAREWELL. 

AT  the  gathering  of  the  Vinland  colonists  next 
day  a  number  of  able  speeches  were  made  by  various 
individuals ;  for  the  Norsemen  of  old  were  accus- 
tomed to  the  free  discussion  of  public  affairs,  at  a 
time  when  nearly  all  Europe  was  crushed  under  the 
yoke  of  feudalism.  Some  of  the  speeches  were 
humorous,  and  some  had  a  good  deal  of  sound 
about  them  without  much  weight  of  matter — 
a  peculiarity,  by  the  way,  which  marks  many  of  the 
speeches  made  in  the  national  and  general  assemblies 
of  mankind  in  the  present  day,  not  less,  perhaps 
rather  more,  than  in  the  olden  time. 

All  the  men  of  the  colony  were  entitled  to  raise 
their  voices  in  the  council  except  the  thralls,  so  that 
the  brothers  Hake  and  Heika  took  no  part  in  the 
discussion.  These  two  therefore  held  a  private  con- 
fabulation of  their  own  on  the  margin  of  the  lake. 

Thorward  was  among  the  first  speakers  at  the 
assembly. 

"  It  is  my  opinion/'  he  said,  in  the  tone  of  a  man 

359 


360  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

who  expects  to  have  his  opinion  opposed,  "  that  we 
have  not  yet  given  Vinland  a  fair  trial  We  are 
only  just  beginning  to  discover  the  value  of  the 
land.  Ye  know  now  that  it  is  not  a  small  island, 
as  was  at  first  supposed,  but  a  vast  country  of  un- 
known extent.  Who  knows  but  that  it  may  be  as 
large  as  Norway  ?  This  lake  and  river  on  which 
we  dwell  do  not  owe  their  birth  to  an  insignificant 
country ;  any  man  with  half  the  vision  of  one  eye 
remaining  may  see  that !  The  woods  supply  all  that 
man  can  desire ;  the  waters  swarm  with  fish ;  the 
climate  is  delightful ;  our  ships  are  even  now  loaded 
to  the  bulwarks  with  costly  furs,  and  the  natives  are 
friendly.  What  would  ye  more  ?  It  seems  to  me 
that  we  might,  if  we  chose,  lay  the  foundation  of 
a  new  nation  that  would  rival  Iceland,  perchance 
equal  old  Norway  itself,  if  we  take  advantage  of  the 
great  opportunities  that  have  fallen  to  our  hands. 
But  if  we  get  frightened  at  the  yell  of  every  savage 
that  makes  his  appearance,  or  grow  weary  of  good, 
vigorous,  hard  work,  and  begin  to  sigh  like  children 
for  home,  then  there  is  small  chance  of  our  doing 
anything,  and  it  will  doubtless  be  the  fate  of  a  bolder 
race  of  men  to  people  this  land  at  some  future 
time." 

There  was  a  good  deal  of  applause  from  some  of 
the  people  when  Thorward  finished  this  speech, 
which  was  uttered  with  great  decision ;  but  it  was 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  361 

observable  that  those  who  thought  with  him,  though 
noisy,  were  not  numerous. 

The  moment  Thorward  sat  down  Krake  started 
up  and  said  somewhat  warmly — 

"  'Tis  all  very  well  for  Thorward  to  speak  in  this 
way,  and  ask  '  What  would  ye  more  V  seeing  that 
he  has  got  in  his  house  a  handsome  and  sweet-tem- 
pered wife ;  but  I  will  tell  him  of  something  more 
that  I  want,  and  that  I  haven't  got  just  now,  and  am 
not  likely  to  get  as  long  as  I  remain  in  Vinland. 
There  is  a  comely  little  woman  in  Iceland,  who  was 
born  in  that  best  of  countries,  Ireland,  and  who  for- 
sook the  land,  and  her  father  and  mother,  and  kith  and 
kin,  all  for  the  sake  of  a  red-headed  thrall — for  he 
was  no  better  at  that  time — called  Krake.  Now, 
I  want  that  sweet  little-  Irishwoman  !  Moreover, 
there 's  a  stout  curly-headed  boy  in  Iceland  who 's 
an  elegant  chip-  of  the  ancient  tree,  and  the  born 
image  of  his  mother — I  want  that  curly-headed  boy ! 
Then  there  are  six  other  curly-headed  boys  in  Ice- 
land— only  that  three  of  them  are  girls,  and  the 
youngest  had  the  curls  in  prospect  when  I  saw  it 
last,  bein'  as  bare  on  the  head  as  the  palm  of  my 
hand — all  of  them  descending  in  size,  one  after 
another,  from  the  first  curly-headed  boy — I  want 
these.  Besides  which  there  is  a-  sweet  little  hut  in 
Iceland  at  the  edge  of  a  swamp,  with  the  spouting 
waters  not  far  off,  and  the  boilin'  waters  quite  handy 


362  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

to  cook  your  dinner  without  firin',  and  a  lovely  pro- 
spect of  the  burnin'  hill  behind — I  want  all  that; 
and  I  want  to  know  how  Thorward  would  feel  if 
he  wanted  all  that  and  couldn't  get  it,  and  was 
advised  to  go  on  wantin'  it,  and  if  he  couldn't  keep 
himself  easy,  to  try  his  best  to  keep  as  easy  as  he 
could !" 

There  was  some  laughter  and  great  applause  at 
this  point. 

"Moreover,"  continued  Krake,  with  increasing 
energy,  "  it  don't  give  me  a  scrap  of  comfort  to  be  told 
that  this  is  a  vast  country,  full  of  all  that 's  desirable 
and  the  best  of  livin',  when  I  can't  enjoy  it  along 
with  my  sweet  little  Kathleen  and  the  curly-headed 
boys  and  girls  before  mentioned.  What  does  Krake 
care  for  stuffing  his  own  ugly  carcase  full  when 
mayhap  the  wife  and  bairns  are  dyin'  for  want — 
anyhow  dyin'  to  see  their  husband  an'  father  ?  And 
what  does  Krake  care  to  be  the  beginning  of  a  new 
nation  ?  No  more  than  he  does  to  be  the  middle  of 
it,  and  if  left  to  himself  he'd  far  sooner  be  the 
end  of  it  by  not  beginning  it  at  all !  As  for  being 
frightened  by  the  yells  of  savages,  it 's  not  worth 
my  while  to  mention  that,  but  when  Thorward  talks 
about  beginning  to  sigh  like  children  for  home,  he 
misses  his  mark  entirely.  It's  not  sighing  I  am 
for  home,  but  roaring,  bellowing,  howling  for  it  in 
my  wearied  spirit,  and  it 's  my  opinion,  comrades,  as 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  363 

I  gaze  round  upon  your  speaking  faces,  that  there 's 
a  good  many  here  howling  along  with  me." 

There  could  be  no  doubt  that  Krake's  sentiments 
were  largely  entertained  and  appreciated,  for  his 
speech  was  followed  by  prolonged  and  enthusiastic 
applause,  in  which  the  Norsemen  not  only  raised 
their  voices,  but  rattled  their  arms  on  their  shields 
by  way  of  emphasis.  Thorward  smiled  grimly  and 
shrugged  his  shoulders,  but  made  no  reply. 

After  several  others  had  spoken  in  various  strains 
— a  few  in  favour  of  Thorward's  opinion,  but  many 
more  in  sympathy  with  Krake, — Leif  made  a  short 
speech,  advising  immediate  return  to  Greenland, 
Biarne  followed  suit,  and  Karlsefin  wound  up  with 
a  few  remarks,  in  which  he  urged,  among  other 
things,  that  although  the  savages  were  friendly  just 
then,  it  was  not  likely  they  would  remain  so  very 
long,  and  in  the  event  of  a  quarrel  it  was  certain, 
considering  their  great  numbers,  that  the  infant 
colony  would  be  kept  in  perpetual  hot  water,  if  not 
actual  warfare.  He  suggested,  moreover,  that  the 
proper  way  to  establish  a  colony,  that  would  have 
some  chance  to  survive  and  flourish,  would  be  to 
organize  it  thoroughly  in  Iceland  or  Norway,  and 
induce  so  many  married  men  with  their  families  to 
emigrate,  'that  they  would  be  able  to  fed  at  home  in 
the  new  land,  and  thus  wish  to  remain.  He  con- 
cluded by  saying  that  those  who  now  desired  to 


364        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

remain  in  Vinland  might  join  together  and  devote 
their  energies  to  the  getting  up  of  such  a  band  of 
colonists  if  so  disposed.  For  his  own  part,  since  the 
majority  were  evidently  in  favour  of  returning  home, 
he  was  free  to  confess  that  he  had  no  taste  for 
colonizing.  The  ocean  was  his  home,  and  when  that 
failed  him  he  hoped  that  God  might  permit  him  to 
end  his  days  and  lay  his  bones  in  Iceland. 

It  was  finally  agreed  that  the  country  should  be 
abandoned,  and  that,  having  made  up  their  minds, 
they  should  set  about  preparations  without  delay. 

We  have  said  that  the  Scottish  brothers  had  gone 
to  the  margin  of  the  lake  to  hold  a  little  consultation 
by  themselves,  while  the  affairs  of  the  nation  were 
being  settled  in  the  grand  parliament. 

"  What  think  you  ?  will  these  men  of  Iceland  de- 
cide to  return  home  or  to  remain  here  ?"  said  Hake, 
seating  himself  on  a  bank  of  wild-flowers,  which 
he  began  to  pluck  and  scatter  with  an  absent  air. 

"  They  will  decide  to  forsake  Vinland,"  answered 
Heika. 

"You  appear  to  be  very  sure,  brother." 

"  I  am ;  because  I  have  been  watching  the  men 
for  some  time  past,  and  occasionally  leading  them  on 
to  talk  about  the  matter." 

"  Which  way  do  you  hope  they  will  decide  ? " 
asked  Hake. 

"  I  hope  they  will  leave." 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  365 

"Do  you?  For  my  part  I  care  but  little.  It 
seems  to  me  that  we  have  as  small  a  chance  of 
escaping  from  Greenland  as  from  this  land." 

"  Brother,  ye  think  in  this  way  because  you  are 
content  to  remain  where  Bertha  dwells.  If  Bertha 
were  with  Emma  in  bonny  Scotland,  your  wits 
would  be  sharp  enough  to  perceive  that  the  voyage 
from  Yinland  to  Scotland,  with  an  unknown  sea 
between,  would  be  a  more  hazardous  venture  than 
a  voyage  from  Greenland  to  Scotland,  with  Iceland 
between." 

"  That  may  be  true,  brother,  but  methinks  my 
wits  are  sharp  enough  to  perceive  that  neither  voyage 
concerns  us,  seeing  that  we  have  no  ship,  and  are 
not  likely  to  succeed  in  persuading  a  whale  to  carry 
us  over." 

"  Nevertheless,"  replied  Heika,  "  I  mean  to  go 
over  to  Scotland  this  summer  if  I  can." 

Hake  looked  earnestly  in  his  brother's  face. 

"  From  your  tones  and  words,"  said  he,  "  I  know 
that  you  have  some  plan  in  your  head." 

"  That  have  I,"  rejoined  Heika  firmly,  yet  with 
a  look  of  sadness. — "  Listen,  Hake  :  the  thought  that 
I  shall  never  more  see  Emma  or  my  father  is  more 
than  I  can  bear.  I  will  now  make  the  effort  to 
escape  from  Greenland — for  well  assured  am  I  that 
we  shall  soon  be  there  again — or  die  in  the  attempt. 
Of  what  value  is  a  thrall's  life  ?  The  plan  that  I 


366  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

have  in  my  head  is  this.  You  know  that  when  in 
Greenland  we  were  often  sent  out  beyond  the  fiord 
to  fish  and  to  hunt  the  walrus  and  the  seal — some- 
times in  large,  sometimes  in  small,  boats.  The 
boats  on  Eric's  fiord  are  numerous  now.  The 
absence  of  one  for  a  time  would  not  be  much 
noticed.  There  is  a  man  there  whose  life  I  saved 
not  long  before  we  set  sail  for  Vinland.  He  has  a 
good  boat,  which  I  will  borrow,  take  it  round  to  the 
western  skerries,  to  which  our  men  seldom  go,  and 
there  quietly  fit  it  out  for  a  long  voyage.  When  a 
fitting  time  arrives  I  will  set  sail  for  Scotland." 

Hake  shook  his  head. 

"  What  wild  thoughts  are  these,  brother  ?  Who 
ever  heard  of  a  man  crossing  the  ocean  in  a  small 
boat  ? " 

"  The  thing  may  be  done,"  replied  Heika.  "  It  is 
risky,  no  doubt ;  but  is  not  everything  more  or  less 
risky  ?  Besides,  I  had  rather  die  than  remain  in 
thraldom." 

He  paused,  and  Hake  gazed  at  the  ground  in 
silence. 

"  I  see,"  he  continued  sadly,  "  you  do  not  like  my 
project,  and  will  not  aid  me  in  the  enterprise.  After 
all,  how  could  I  expect  that  you  would  be  willing  to 
forsake  Bertha  and  face  so  great  a  danger  ? " 

Hake  still  continued  to  gaze  in  silence,  and  with 
a  strangely  perplexed  air,  at  the  ground. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  367 

"  Well,  well,  Hake/'  resumed  the  other,  in  a  tone 
of  reproach,  "  I  did  not  expect  that  ye  would  go 
with  me  on  this  venture,  but  truly  I  had  counted 
on  your  sympathy  and  counsel  as  well  as  your  aid." 

"  Ye  do  wrong  me,"  cried  Hake,  suddenly  starting 
up  and  seizing  his  brother's  hand ;  "  I  not  only 
sympathize  with  you,  but  I  will  go  with  you.  It  is 
not  easy  all  at  once  to  make  up  one's  mind  on  a 
point  of  such  importance.  Forsake  Bertha  I  never 
will  as  long  as  one  drop  of  Scottish  blood  flows  in 
my  veins,  for  I  know  that  she  loves  me,  though  her 
sense  of  duty  keeps  her  aloof — for  which  I  love  her 
all  the  more.  Nevertheless,  I  will  leave  her  for  a 
time.  I  will  make  this  venture  with  you.  If  we 
perish,  we  perish.  If  we  succeed  I  will  return  to 
Greenland  with  a  force  that  will  either  induce  or 
compel  the  surrender  of  my  bride." 

"Thou  art  a  bold  lover,"  said  Heika,  smiling. 
"  What !  wilt  thou  carry  her  off  whether  she  will  or 
no?" 

"  Not  so ;  but  I  will  carry  her  off  whether  Leif 
or  Karlsefin,  or  Biarne  or  Thorward,  or  all  Green- 
land put  together,  will  or  no  ! " 

"  Nay,  brother,  that  may  not  be.  It  were  the 
maddest  venture  of  all.  I  will  run  this  risk  alone." 

For  some  time  the  brothers  disputed  upon  this 
point  and  held  out  against  each  other  pretty  stoutly. 
At  length  Heika  reluctantly  gave  in,  and  it  was 


368  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

finally  agreed  that  Hake  should  join  him  in  the 
proposed  attempt  to  regain  his  liberty. 

It  did  not  take  long  to  make  the  necessary 
arrangements  for  leaving  Vinland.  The  little  colony 
had  not  struck  its  roots  very  deeply  into  the  soil. 
They  were  easily  torn  out  without  damage  to  the 
feelings  of  any  one,  for  little  Snorro,  as  Krake  said, 
was  the  only  creature  that  had  to  bid  farewell  to  his 
native  laud — always  excepting  some  of  the  cattle  and 
chickens — and  he  was  too  young  to  take  it  much  to 
heart. 

In  a  few  weeks  the  Snake,  and  Thorward's  ship, 
the  Dragon,  were  loaded  with  everything  that  was 
of  value  in  the  colony,  including  much  even  of  the 
rude  furniture  of  the  huts. 

Before  leaving,  Karlsefin  resolved  to  give  a  last 
grand  feast  to  the  savages.  He  therefore  called 
them  together  and  explained,  as  he  best  could,  that 
he  and  his  friends  were  going  to  leave  them,  but 
that  perhaps  some  of  them  might  return  again  with 
large  supplies  of  the  gay  cloth  and  ornaments  they 
were  so  fond  of,  and  he  recommended  them  in  the 
meantime  to  make  as  large  a  collection  of  furs  as 
they  could,  in  order  to  be  ready  to  trade  when  the 
white  men  returned.  He  then  spread  before  them 
the  most  sumptuous  feast  the  land  could  provide, 
including  a  large  quantity  of  dairy  produce,  which 
the  savages  regarded  as  the  most  luxurious  of  fare. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  369 

After  the  feast  he  presented  Whitepow,  Utway, 
and  Powlet  with  a  large  quantity  of  bright-coloured 
cloth  and  a  few  silver  and  iron  ornaments,  to  be 
distributed  among  the  members  of  the  tribe  as  they 
should  see  fit  after  helping  themselves.  He  also 
gave  them  a  few  cattle  and  domestic  fowls,  after 
which,  weighing  anchors,  putting  out  the  oars,  and 
hoisting  their  sails,  the  Norsemen  bade  farewell  to 
Leifsgaard.  As  they  swept  round  the  point  which 
shut  it  out  from  view,  they  gave  vent  to  one  vigor- 
ous parting  cheer,  which  was  replied  to  by  the 
savages  with  a  feeble  imitation  and  a  waving  of 
arms. 

Dropping  down  the  river,  they  passed  the  spit  of 
sand  where  the  first  night  in  Vinland  had  been 
spent  so  pleasantly ;  caught  an  off-shore  breeze  that 
carried  them  swiftly  beyond  the  island  betwixt 
which  and  the  shore  they  had  captured  the  whale, 
and  finally  leaped  out  upon  the  swell  of  the  great 
ocean. 

"  Aha  !  now  am  I  at  home,"  exclaimed  Karlsefin, 
with  heightened  colour  and  sparkling  eyes,  as  he 
stood  at  the  helm,  and  glanced  from  the  bulging 
sail  to  the  heaving  swell,  where  Thorward's  Dragon 
was  bending  over  to  the  breeze  about  a  cable's 
length  to  leeward, — "Now  am  I  at  home  once 
more ! " 

"  So  am  not  I,"  murmured  poor  Bertha,  whose 
2  A 


370        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

white  face  betrayed  the  miserable  emotions — or 
commotions — within. 

All  the  wom^n,  we  may  remark,  had  expressed  a 
desire  to  keep  together  during  the  voyage,  hence 
they  had  embarked  in  the  Snake,  which  was  a  better 
sea-boat  than  Thorward's  vessel. 

"  Of  course  you  are  not  at  home.  You  are  never 
contented  or  at  home  anywhere ! "  cried  Freydissa 
sharply. 

Hake  wished  with  all  his  heart  that  Bertha  was 
at  home  in  Scotland,  and  that  her  home  was  his ; 
and  Snorro,  who  was  seated  on  Olaf  s  knee,  said — 

"  Never  mind,  Bert' a,  oos  be  a  tome  soon." 

There  was  a  general  laugh  at  this  consolatory 
remark;  even  Bertha  smiled  faintly  as  she  patted 
Snorro's  head,  while  Astrid  and  Thora — not  to  men- 
tion Gudrid — agreed  between  themselves  that  he 
was  the  dearest,  sweetest,  and  in  every  way  the 
most  delightful  Vinlander  that  had  ever  been  born. 

"  Of  that  there  can  be  no  doubt,"  said  Leif,  with 
a  laugh,  "  since  he  is  the  only  white  Vinlander  that 
ever  was  born." 

But  although  the  party  assembled  on  the  poop 
indulged  at  first  in  a  few  humorous  remarks,  they 
soon  became  silent  and  sad,  for  they  were  fast  leav- 
ing behind  them  a  spot  which,  with  all  its  draw- 
backs, had  been  a  pleasant  and  happy  home  for 
upwards  of  three  years. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  371 

As  they  stood  leaning  on  the  rails  that  guarded 
the  poop,  and  gazed  regretfully  on  the  lessening  hills, 
each  recalled  many  pleasant  or  stirring  incidents 
which  had  occurred  there,  incidents  which  would 
remain — however  far  or  long  that  land  might  be 
left  behind — for  ever  engraven  on  their  memories. 
And,  long  after  twilight  and  distance  had  concealed 
the  coast  from  view,  the  Norsemen  continued  to 
strain  their  vision  towards  the  horizon,  mentally 
bidding  a  long  and  last  farewell  to  Vinland. 


CHAPTEE  XXVI. 

CHANGES  IN  BBATTALID — THE  SCOTS  CONTINUE  TO  PLOT  AND  PLAN. 

GREENLAND  again !  Flatface  standing  on  the 
wharf  at  Brattalid  ;  Anders  beside  him ;  groups  of 
Norse  men,  women,  and  children,  and  Skraelingers, 
around  and  scattered  along  the  bay. 

What  a  commotion  there  was  in  the  colony,  to  be 
sure,  when  it  was  discovered  that  two  large  ships 
were  sailing  up  the  fiord ;  and  what  a  commotion  it 
created  in  the  breasts  of  those  on  board  these  ships 
when  it  was  discovered  that  other  two  large  ships 
were  already  at  anchor  in  the  harbour  ! 

It  is  not  necessary  to  detain  the  reader  with  the 
details  of  question  and  reply  by  which  the  truth  was 
at  last  elicited  on  both  sides.  Suffice  it  to  say  that 
the  two  ships  were  found  to  be  merchant-vessels 
from  Iceland,  and  that,  among  other  colonists,  they 
had  brought  out  several  men  whose  purpose  was  to 
teach  and  plant  the  new  religion.  Already  a  small 
building  had  been  set  up,  with  a  short  tower  on  the 

872 


AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  373 

roof,  which  the  Norsemen  were  told  was  a  church, 
and  in  which  some  of  the  services  of  the  Christian 
religion  were  performed.  Elsewhere  several  new 
houses  had  been  built,  and  everywhere  there  were 
signs  of  increasing  population  and  prosperity. 

Leif  was  half  pleased,  half  disappointed  at  all 
this.  It  was  gratifying  to  find  things  prospering 
so  well,  but  it  was  not  pleasant  to  see  the  old  place 
so  greatly  changed,  and  to  have  much  of  the  old 
home-feeling  done  away. 

However,  little  was  said  on  the  subject.  The 
Vinland  colonists  were  too  busy  at  first,  meeting 
with  relations  and  old  companions,  and  being  intro- 
duced to  new  friends,  to  say  or  think  much  about 
the  matter.  After  a  few  days  they  became  recon- 
ciled to  the  change,  and  settled  down  into  a  regular 
busy  life. 

One  evening  Heika  went  to  the  house  of  his  friend 
Edwinsson,  who  owned  the  boat  that  he  wished  to 
become  possessed  of.  He  found  that  the  man  was 
not  at  home,  but  there  was  a  serving-woman  in  the 
house. 

"  Edwinsson  no  longer  lives  here,"  said  the  girl. 
"  He  has  gone  to  live  with  old  Haraldson  and 
manage  his  boats,  for  the  old  man  is  not  able  for 
that  work  now." 

"  Do  you  mean  Bertha's  father  ?"  asked  Heika. 

"  Yes  ;  Haraldson  is  Bertha's  father." 


374        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

Heika  went  at  once  to  search  for  his  friend.  By 
the  way  he  chanced  to  meet  with  his  brother. 

"  Come,  Hake/'  said  he,  "  I  want  you  to  go  with 
me  to  find  Edwinsson." 

"  With  all  my  heart,"  said  Hake. 

They  soon  came  to  old  Haraldson's  house,  which 
lay  at  the  extreme  west  of  Brattalid;  and  when 
Heika  opened  the  door,  there  he  saw  the  old  man 
seated  in  a  large  chair,  propped  up  with  eider-down 
pillows.  Bertha  was  seated  on  a  stool  at  his  feet 
holding  one  of  his  hands. 

"  Come  in,  Heika,"  she  cried,  springing  up  and 
hasting  forward  with  pleasure.  "  I  have  been  trying 
to  tell  dear  father  about  the  whale  you  killed  in 
Vinland." 

She  stopped  abruptly  on  observing  that  Hake 
was  behind  his  brother.  Eecovering  herself  quickly, 
however,  she  welcomed  him  also  with  a  slight 
blush. 

"  I  want  you,  Heika,"  she  continued,  "  to  tell  the 
story  to  my  father." 

"  Ay,  sit  down  here,  young  man,  and  tell  it  me," 
said  Haraldson,  in  a  tremulous  voice.  "  I  love  to 
hear  anything  about  Yinland,  especially  what  pleases 
Bertha.  Dear  Bertha!  I  have  become  very  frail 
since  she  went  away — very  frail ;  and  it  has  been  a 
weary  time — a  weary  time.  But  come,  tell  me  about 
the  whale." 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  375 

"  Gladly  would  I  do  that/'  said  Heika ;  "  but  I 
have  business  with  your  man  Edwinsson — business 
which  I  want  to  put  out  of  hands  at  once.  But 
Hake  will  tell  the  story  of  the  whale.  He  is  a 
better  sagaman  than  I." 

"  Let  Hake  tell  it,  then,"  returned  the  old  man. 
"  You  will  find  Edwinsson  somewhere  about  among 
my  boats." 

Hake  gladly  sat  down  beside  Bertha,  and  began 
the  story  of  the  whale,  while  his  brother  went  down 
to  the  beach,  where  he  found  his  friend. 

"  Edwinsson,"  said  Heika,  after  some  conversation 
had  passed  between  them,  "  you  have  a  good  boat 
near  Leif's  wharf.  Will  you  lend  it  to  me  ?" 

"  Eight  willingly,"  replied  his  friend. 

"  But  I  am  bound  on  an  excursion  that  may  chance 
to  end  in  the  wreck  of  the  boat/'  said  Heika.  "  Will 
you  hold  me  responsible  if  I  lose  it  ?" 

"  'Twill  be  difficult  to  hold  thee  responsible,"  re- 
turned Edwinsson,  laughing,  "  if  ye  lose  your  life 
along  with  it.  But  that  matters  not.  I  gift  thee 
the  boat  if  thou  wilt  have  it.  I  count  it  a  small  gift 
to  the  man  who  saved  my  life." 

"  Thanks,  Edwinsson — thanks.  I  accept  the  gift, 
and,  if  my  venture  is  successful,  I  shall  try  to  let 
you  share  the  benefit  in  some  way  or  other." 

"  Hast  discovered  a  new  fishing-ground,  Heika  ? 
What  venture  do  ye  intend  ?"  asked  the  other. 


376        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"  That  I  will  keep  secret  just  now/'  said  Heika, 
laughing  carelessly.  "  I  don't  want  to  be  followed 
at  first.  Ye  shall  know  all  about  it  soon.  But 
hearken,  friend,  make  no  mention  of  it.  One  does 
not  like  to  be  laughed  at  if  one  fails,  you  know." 

So  saying,  Heika  went  off  to  Leif 's  wharf,  loosed 
the  boat  which  he  found  there,  hoisted  the  sail,  and 
dropped  down  with  the  tide  to  the  mouth  of  the 
fiord.  Here  a  light  breeze  was  blowing,  under  the 
influence  of  which  he  soon  ran  round  the  point  of 
land  that  divided  Ericsfiord  from  Heriulfness.  In 
the  course  of  another  hour  he  reached  the  western 
skerries. 

The  skerries  or  islets  in  question  were  little 
better  than  bare  rocks,  which  lay  about  fifty  yards 
from  the  mainland,  along  which  they  formed  a  sort 
of  breakwater  for  a  distance  of  nearly  a  quarter  of  a 
mile.  Within  this  breakwater  there  were  several 
narrow  and  well-sheltered  inlets.  Into  one  of  these 
Heika  ran  his  boat,  and  made  it  fast  in  a  place  which 
was  so  well  overshadowed  by  rocks,  that  the  boat 
could  neither  be  seen  from  the  land  nor  from  the 
sea. 

On  the  landward  side  this  inlet  could  be  reached 
by  a  path,  which,'  though  it  appeared  somewhat 
rugged,  was  nevertheless  easy  to  traverse.  Up  this 
path  Heika  hastened  after  making  the  boat  fast,  in- 
tending to  return  to  Brattalid  by  land.  The  distance 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  377 

over  land  was  much  shorter  than  by  water,  so  that 
he  could  soon  reach  Leif  s  house,  and  his  brief  ab- 
sence would  attract  no  attention. 

Just  as  the  Scot  issued  from  behind  the  rocks 
which  concealed  the  path  to  the  inlet,  he  was  sud- 
denly bereft  almost  of  the  power  to  move  by  the 
unexpected  sight  of  Leif  himself  advancing  towards 
him  ! 

Poor  Heika's  heart  died  within  him.  He  felt  that 
all  his  long-cherished  and  deeply-laid  plans  were 
crushed  just  as  they  were  about  to  be  carried  into 
effect,  and  a  feeling  of  fierce  despair  prompted  him 
for  a  moment  to  commit  some  wild  deed  of  violence, 
but  he  observed  that  Leif 's  head  was  bent  forward 
and  his  eyes  rested  on  the  ground,  as  he  advanced 
slowly,  like  one  who  meditates.  Heika  drew  swiftly 
back  behind  the  rock,  from  the  shelter  of  which 
he  had  barely  passed,  and  breathed  freely  again 
when  Leif  passed  by  without  showing  any  symptom 
of  having  observed  him.  Waiting  till  he  had  saun- 
tered beyond  the  next  turn  in  the  path,  he  started 
at  his  utmost  speed,  and  was  soon  beyond  the  reach 
of  Leif 's  eyes,  and  back  in  Brattalid  with  a  relieved 
mind. 

Had  the  Scot  waited  to  observe  the  motions  of 
his  master  after  passing  the  turn  in  the  path  above 
mentioned,  he  would  not  have  experienced  so  much 
mental  relief ;  for  no  sooner  had  Leif  got  behind  a 


378  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

small  but  thick  bush  than  he  turned  abruptly,  raised 
his  head  with  an  intelligent  smile,  lay  down  behind 
the  bush,  and  looked  quietly  through  its  foliage. 
He  saw  Heika  issue  from  behind  the  rock,  observed 
his  cautious  glances  from  side  to  side,  and,  with 
something  like  a  chuckle,  witnessed  his  rapid  flight 
in  the  direction  of  the  settlement. 

"  Hem  !  something  i'  the  wind,"  muttered  Leif, 
rising  and  walking  towards  the  spot  whence  his 
thrall  had  issued. 

He  found  the  rugged  path,  descended  to  the  inlet, 
discovered  the  boat,  and  stood  looking  at  it  with  a 
perplexed  air  for  full  ten  minutes.  Thereafter  he 
shook  his  head  once  or  twice,  smiled  in  a  grave 
manner,  and  slowly  sauntered  home  absorbed  in 
meditation. 

"  Hake,"  whispered  Heika  to  his  brother  that 
night,  as  they  sat  down  together  in  the  little  sleep- 
ing-closet off  Leif's  hall,  that  had  been  allotted  to 
their  use,  "  all  my  hopes  and  plans  were  on  the 
point  of  being  ruined  to-day." 

"  Euined  !  brother.     How  was  that  ?" 

Heika  related  to  him  all  that  had  occurred  at  the 
inlet  near  the  western  skerries. 

"  Art  thou  sure  he  saw  thee  not?"  asked  Hake 
earnestly. 

"  There  can  be  no  doubt  of  that,"  replied  Heika, 
"  for  he  had  no  cause  to  suspect  that  anything  was 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  379 

wrong ;  and  if  lie  had  seen  me  as  I  first  stood  be- 
fore him  motionless  with  surprise,  he  would  doubt- 
less have  hailed  me.  No,  no  ;  something  was  work- 
ing very  hard  in  his  brain,  for  he  passed  on  without 
the  least  sign  of  having  seen  me." 

"  That  is  well,  brother,  yet  I  do  not  feel  easy,  for 
it  is  well  known  that  Leif  is  a  shrewd  man,  with 
great  command  over  his  feelings.  But  now,  tell  me 
how  best  I  shall  aid  you  in  this  enterprise." 

"  That  is  best  done  by  using  your  bow  well,  for 
we  shall  require  a  large  supply  of  dried  meat  for  the 
voyage,  and  we  must  work  diligently  as  well  as 
secretly  during  our  few  hours  of  leisure,  if  we  would 
get  ready  in  time  to  sail  before  the  rough  winds  of 
autumn  set  in.  There  are  some  tight  casks  in  Leif 's 
old  store  which  I  mean  to  take  possession  of,  at 
the  last,  for  water.  Our  service  will  more  than  pay 
for  these  and  any  other  trifles  we  may  find  it  need- 
ful to  appropriate." 

Hake  thought  in  his  heart  that  the  enterprise 
was  a  wild  and  foolish  one,  but,  having  promised  to 
engage  in  it,  he  resolved  not  to  cast  the  slightest 
hindrance  in  the  way,  or  to  say  a  single  word  of  dis- 
couragement. He  therefore  approved  of  all  that 
Heika  suggested,  and  said  that  he  would  give  his 
aid  most  vigorously. 

"Moreover,"  he  continued,  "I  have  had  some 
consolation  to-day  which  will  spur  me  on,  for  I  have 


380  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

got  Bertha  to  admit  that  she  loves  me,  and  to  pro- 
mise that  if  I  can  obtain  my  freedom  she  will  wed 
me.  She  even  gave  me  to  understand  that  she 
would  wed  me  as  a  thrall  if  only  Leif  and  Karlsefin 
would  give  their  consent.  But  that  shall  not  be. 
Bertha  shall  never  be  a  thrall's  bride.  I  will  return 
and  claim  her,  as  I  have  said." 

Heika  made  no  reply,  but  continued  to  gaze  at 
the  floor  in  silence. 

"Methinks  ye  are  perplexed  by  something, 
brother/'  said  Hake. 

"  I  am  thinking,"  replied  Heika,  "  that  it  is  a 
pity  we  cannot  use  those  curious  marks  made  on 
skins,  wherewith,  we  are  told,  men  can  communi- 
cate one  with  another  when  they  are  absent  from 
each  other." 

"  What  causes  the  regret  just  now  ?" 

"  I  grudge  to  quit  Leif  without  a  parting  word," 
returned  Heika,  looking  at  his  brother  with  peculiar 
earnestness ;  "  it  seems  so  ungrateful,  so  unkind  to 
one  who  has  ever  treated  us  well." 

"  I  think  with  you  in  that,  brother,"  said  Hake. 

"  It  would  be  so  easy  too,"  continued  Heika,  "  to 
have  some  method  of  letting  him  know  what  I 
think,  if  we  could  only  agree  about  the  signs  or 
signals  beforehand." 

Hake  laughed  softly. 

"  That  would  not  be  easy  ;  for  we  could  scarcely 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  381 

go  to  him  and  say,  *  Leif,  when  you  see  these  par- 
ticular marks  on  a  certain  stone,  you  are  to  under- 
stand that  we  take  leave  of  you  for  ever  with  hearty 
good- will !'  I  fear  that  his  suspicions  might  be 
aroused  thereby." 

"  ISTay,  but  I  only  express  regret  that  we  have  not 
some  such  mode  of  intercourse,"  returned  Heika, 
smiling.  "Ye  know  the  sign  of  the  split  arrow 
which  tells  of  war.  Why  might  we  not  multiply 
such  signs  ?  For  instance,  by  laying  a  billet  of  fire- 
wood across  a  man's  bed,  one  might  signify  that  he 
bade  him  farewell  with  tender  affection  and  good- 
will !" 

"  Why,  brother,"  said  Hake,  laughing,  "  ye  look  at 
me  as  earnestly  as  if  you  had  said  something  smart ; 
whereas  I  regard  your  idea  as  but  a  clumsy  one.  A 
billet  of  wood  laid  across  your  friend's  bed  might 
more  fitly  suggest  that  you  wanted  to  knock  out  his 
brains,  or  damage  his  skin,  or  burn  him  alive !" 

Heika  laughed  heartily,  and  said  that  he  feared 
he  had  nothing  of  the  spirit  of  the  skald  about  him, 
and  that  his  power  of  invention  was  not  great. 

"But  I  have  more  news  to  give  thee,  brother, 
besides  that  regarding  Bertha,"  said  Hake.  "Do  you 
know  there  is  a  countryman  of  ours  on  board  of  one 
of  the  ships  that  brought  out  the  men  of  the  new 
religion,  and  he  has  but  lately  seen  our  father  and 
Emma?" 


382        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

Heika  started  and  laid  his  hand  on  his  brother's 
arm,  while  he  gazed  earnestly  into  his  face. 

"  It  is  ill  jesting  on  such  a  subject,"  he  said  some- 
what sternly. 

"  So  think  I,  brother ;  therefore  I  recommend  you 
not  to  jest,"  returned  Hake  gravely. 

"Nay,  but  is  it  true?" 

"  Ay,  true  as  that  the  sky  is  over  our  heads.  I 
have  had  a  long  talk  with  him,  and  when  he  found 
I  was  a  countryman  he  gave  me  a  hug  that  made 
my  ribs  bend.  His  name  is  Sawneysson,  a  very 
giant  of  a  man,  with  hair  that  might  have  grown  on 
the  back  of  a  Greenland  bear,  only  that  it  is  red  in- 
stead of  white.  He  told  me  that  he  knew  our  father 
well  by  sight,  and  last  saw  him  taking  a  ramble  on 
Dunedin  hill,  whither  he  had  walked  from  our  village 
on  the  Forth,  which  shows  that  the  old  man's  vigour 
has  improved.  Emma  was  with  him  too,  so  Saw- 
neysson said,  looking  beautiful,  but  somewhat  sad." 

"  How  knew  he  her  name  ? "  asked  Heika. 

"He  knew  it  not,"  replied  Hake.  "He  did  but 
say  that  a  fair  maiden  walked  with  our  father,  and 
I  knew  at  once  from  his  description  that  it  was 
Emma.  But  you  can  inquire  for  yourself  at  his 
own  mouth,  for  this  countryman  of  ours  is  an  en- 
thusiastic fellow,  and  fond  of  talking  about  home." 

"Brother,"  said  Heika,  with  a  sad  but  earnest 
look,  "  I  must  give  this  man  the  cold  shoulder." 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  383 

"Nay,  then,  disappointment  must  have  changed 
thee  much,"  said  Hake,  in  surprise,  "  for  that  is  the 
last  thing  I  had  expected  thee  to  say." 

"  It  is  not  disappointment  but  caution  that  makes 
me  speak  and  think  as  I  do.  If  we  seem  to  be  too 
eager  about  our  native  land  it  may  tend  to  make 
Leif  more  watchful  of  us,  which  of  all  things  would 
be  the  greatest  misfortune  that  could  befall  us  just 
at  this  time." 

"  There  is  something  in  that/'  returned  Hake ; 
"  but  will  it  not  suffice  to  exercise  a  little  caution 
and  self-restraint,  without  giving  our  countryman 
the  cold  shoulder  ?" 

"  I  know  not,"  replied  Heika,  with  a  troubled  air ; 
"  but  I  would  that  he  had  not  turned  up  just  now, 
though  I  confess  it  gladdens  me  to  hear  of  our 
father  and  Emma. — Now,  Hake,  we  must  to  bed  if 
we  would  be  up  betimes  to  secure  a  little  leisure  for 
the  carrying  out  of  our  enterprise." 

Without  further  conversation  the  brothers  threw 
off  their  coats  and  shoes,  and  lay  down  together 
with  the  rest  of  their  clothing  on,  so  as  to  be  ready 
for  an  early  start.  The  shield  and  helmet  of  each 
hung  on  the  wall  just  over  the  bed,  and  their  two 
swords  leaned  against  the  bed  itself,  within  reach  of 
their  hands,  for  thus  guardedly  did  men  deem  it 
necessary  to  take  their  rest  in  the  warlike  days  of 
old. 


CHAPTEE  XXVII 

DISAPPOINTMENT  TERMINATES  IN  UNLOOKED-FOR  SUCCESS,  AND  THE 
SAGA  COMES  TO  AN  END. 

4 

DURING  some  weeks  after  the  events  narrated  in 
the  last  chapter,  the  Scottish  brothers  continued 
quietly,  stealthily,  and  steadily  to  collect  provisions 
and  all.  things  necessary  for  the  projected  voyage 
across  the  Atlantic. 

During  the  same  period  the  general  business  of 
the  settlement  was  prosecuted  with  activity.  The 
Christian  missionaries  not  only  instructed  the 
people  in  the  new  faith,  and  baptized  those  that 
believed,  but  assisted  and  guided  them  in  the  build- 
ing of  huts  and  houses,  the  planning  of  wharves  and 
the  laying  out  of  townships ; l  while  the  crews  of 

1  An  important  Christian  colony  existed  in  Greenland  for 
nearly  400  years — from  some  time  in  the  tenth  to  near  the  end 
of  the  fourteenth  century, — a  colony  in  which,  in  the  fourteenth 
century,  there  were  190  townships  and  a  town  called  Garda, 
in  which  were  a  cathedral,  bishop's  seat,  and  twelve  or  thirteen 
churches,  besides  other  Christian  establishments,  with  a  regular 
succession  of  bishops  for  their  superintendence,  of  whom  seven- 
teen are  named  in  the  sagas.  This  colony,  strange  to  say,  was 
384 


AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  385 

the  two  recently  arrived  ships,  having  found  it 
necessary  to  make  up  their  minds  to  winter  in 
Greenland,  busied  themselves  in  collecting  furs,  oil, 
skins,  feathers,  etc.,  to  be  packed  and  got  ready  for 
shipment  in  the  following  spring. 

Karlsefin  also  made  preparations  for  a  voyage  in 
spring  to  Iceland,  and  Thorward,  Biarne,  Krake,  and 
the  other  Yinland  heroes  assisted  in  that  work,  or  in 
some  other  of  the  multifarious  duties  that  had  to 
be  attended  to  in  the  colony,  while  Olaf  undertook 
the  responsible  duty  of  superintending  the  educa- 
tion, mental  and  physical,  of  that  rampant  little  Vin- 
lander  Snorro,  the  son  of  Karlsefin. 

Leif  Ericsson  exercised  a  sort  of  general  super- 
intendence of  the  whole  colony.  It  seemed  to  be 
tacitly  agreed  on  and  admitted  that  he  was  the 
national  chief  or  governor,  and  as  no  one  was  dis- 
posed to  dispute  his  claim  to  that  position  all  was 
peace  and  harmony. 

Nevertheless  there   was  something  unusual    in 

obliterated,  no  one  knew  how  or  when,  and  its  very  existence 
•was  forgotten  by  the  civilized  world.  It  was  chronicled,  how- 
ever, in  the  Icelandic  sagas  and  brought  to  light  by  antiquaries 
of  the  highest  authority.  The  statistical  details  given  by  the 
sagas  have  been  corroborated  by  the  actual  discovery  in  Green- 
land, in  the  eighteenth  and  nineteenth  centuries,  of  vast 
ecclesiastical  and  other  buildings.  These  are  facts  which  do 
not  admit  of  reasonable  doubt — so  writes  Samuel  Laing  in  his 
translation  of  "  The  Heimskringla,  or  Chronicle  of  the  Kings 
of  Norway,"  voL  i  p.  141. 

2B 


386  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

Leif  s  manner  at  that  time  which  rather  perplexed 
his  friends,  and  quite  puzzled  Anders,  his  major- 
domo. 

That  free  and  easy  individual  could  not  under- 
stand the  dreamy  moods  into  which  his  master  fell, 
still  less  could  he  comprehend  the  gleams  of  quiet 
humour  and  expressions  of  intense  seriousness,  with 
other  contradictory  appearances,  which  occasionally 
manifested  themselves  in  Leif  s  visage  and  demeanour. 
It  was  plain  that  there  was  much  on  his  inind,  and 
that  much  of  that  was  gay  as  well  as  grave.  Anders 
made  several  attempts  to  find  out  what  was  the 
matter,  but  was  met  at  one  time  with  grave  evasion, 
at  another  with  quiet  jocularity,  which  left  him  as 
wise  as  before. 

Towards  the  Scottish  brothers  Leif  maintained 
an  unvarying  aspect  of  reserve,  which  filled  them 
with  uneasiness ;  but  with  the  female  members  of 
his  household,  and  the  children,  he  was  all  gentle- 
ness, and  often  playful. 

"  Leif,"  said  Karlsefin  to  him  one  day,  "it  appears 
to  me  that  something  weighs  on  your  mind,  or  else 
ye  have  left  some  of  your  wits  in  Vinland." 

"  Think  ye  not  that  the  cares  of  such  a  large  and 
growing  colony  are  sufficient  to  account  for  any  new 
wrinkles  that  may  appear  on  my  brow  ? "  replied 
Leif,  with  a  peculiar  smile,  and  a  glance  from  the 
corner  of  his  eye. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  387 

"  Well,  I  daresay  that  might  account  for  it,  and 
yet  things  are  swimming  on  so  well  that  these  cares 
do  not  seem  to  be  much  increased." 

"  Sometimes  domestic  cares  trouble  a  man  more 
than  public  ones,  Karlsefin.  Look  at  thy  friend 
Thorward,  now.  Tis  little  that  he  would  care  for  a 
mountain  of  outside  troubles  on  his  broad  shoulders 
if  he  might  only  drop  them  when  he  crossed  the 
threshold  of  his  own  door." 

"That  is  true,"  returned  the  other;  "if  a  man 
have  not  peace  in  his  own  house,  there  is  no  peace 
for  him  on  earth.  Nevertheless  my  friend  Thorward 
is  not  in  such  a  bad  case.  Ereydissa  has  improved 
vastly  of  late,  and  Thorward  has  also  grown  more 
amiable  and  leas  contradictious — add  to  which,  he 
and  she  love  each  other  dearly.  But,  Leif,  there 
can  be  no  domestic  troubles  in  your  case,  for  your 
household  is  well  ordered." 

"  Thank  God  there  are  none,"  said  Leif  seriously. 

It  was  the  first  time  that  Leif  had  used  that 
expression,  and  his  friend  heard  it  with  some 
surprise  and  pleasure,  but  said  nothing. 

"  Still,"  continued  Leif,  "  I  am  not  destitute  of 
troubles.  Has  not  that  thrall  Hake  overturned  the 
peace  of  my  sweet  kinswoman  Bertha  ?  The  girl 
loves  the  thrall — I  can  see  that  as  plain  as  I  can 
see  the  vane  on  yonder  mast-head — and  there  is 
no  cure  for  love  ! " 


338       THE  NOESEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

Karlsefin  looked  earnestly  at  his  friend  as  if  about 
to  speak,  but  observing  the  stern  frown  on  Leif's 
countenance,  he  forbore. 

In  a  minute  or  so  Karlsefin  remarked  quietly 
that  Hake  was  a  faithful  thrall. 

"  I  Jm  not  so  sure  of  that  as  ye  seem  to  be/'  re- 
turned Leif,  with  increasing  sternness,  "but,  whether 
faithful  or  not,  no  thrall  shall  ever  wed  Bertha." 

"What  is  that  you  say  about  Bertha?"  asked 
Biarne,  coming  up  just  then. 

"  Nothing  of  moment,"  replied  Leif.  "  What  news 
bring  you,  Biarne  ?  for  that  ye  bring  news  is  plain 
by  the  glance  of  your  eye." 

"  My  eye  is  an  incorrigible  tell-tale,"  cried  Biarne, 
laughing.  "However,  it  has  not  much  to  tell  at 
present.  Only  that  you  are  about  to  receive  a  visit 
from  some  old  friends,  and  that  Anders  will  have  to 
keep  his  kettles  full  for  some  time  to  come.  A 
band  of  Skraelingers  are — .  But  here  they  come 
to  speak  for  themselves." 

At  that  moment  a  troop  of  the  Greenland  savages 
came  round  the  point — the  identical  point  where 
they  had  received  such  a  terrible  shock  some  years 
before — with  Flatface  dancing  joyously  in  front  of 
them. 

Matface  had  heard  of  their  coming,  had  gone  out 
to  meet  them,  had  found  several  of  his  relations 
among  them,  and  was  now  returning,  scarce  able 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  389 

to  contain  himself  with  delight,  as  he  made  their 
mouths  water  by  dilating  at  great  length  on  the 
delicious  things  contained  in  Anders's  capacious 
kettles. 

While  Leif  and  the  others  went  to  meet  the 
Skraelingers,  Heika  and  his  brother  sat  in  their  own 
sleeping-closet,  talking  in  a  low  tone,  and  making 
the  final  arrangements  for  their  flight. 

"  Now  are  ye  sure  that  all  is  on  board — nothing 
omitted?"  asked  Hake,  "for  it  will  be  hard  to 
obtain  anything  once  we  are  out  on  the  sea,  and  we 
can't  well  return  to  fetch  what  we  have  forgotten." 

"  All  is  ready,"  answered  Heika  sadly.  "  I 
cannot  tell  how  much  it  grieves  me  to  go  away 
in  this  fashion ;  but  freedom  must  be  regained 
at  any  price.  Now  remember,  meet  me  exactly 
when  the  moon  shows  its  upper  edge  above  the 
sea  to-night.  Not  later,  and  not  sooner,  for  the 
longer  ye  can  remain  about  the  hall  the  less  likely 
will  any  one  be  to  inquire  after  me." 

"  I  will  be  sure  not  to  fail  you ;  but,  Heika,  is 
that  not  a  little  too  late  ?  The  flood-tide  will  be 
past,  and  if  there  is  any  sea  on  it  will  be  ill  passing 
the  skerries,  many  of  which  are  but  little  covered, 
even  at  high  water." 

"  Trust  me,  Hake ;  it  will  not  be  too  late.  Be 
sure  that  ye  come  no  sooner — else  evil  may  ensue." 

"  My  heart  sinks  when  I  think  of  Bertha,"  said 


390  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

Hake,  with  a  deep  sigh.  "  It  will  seem  so  cold,  so 
hard,  so  unaccountable,  to  leave  her  without  one 
word,  one  farewell" 

"  Think  better  of  it,  brother,"  said  Heika  eagerly ; 
"  I  am  prepared  to  start  alone  even  now  ! " 

"Never!"  exclaimed  Hake,  flushing, — "What? 
shall  I  draw  back  like  a  coward  at  the  last  moment, 
after  pledging  my  word  to  go  ?  and  shall  I  leave 
you  to  face  this  enterprise  alone  ?  Nay,  Heika,  we 
have  suffered  for  many  years  together,  we  shall 
triumph  now  together — or  perish." 

"  My  poor  brother,"  said  Heika,  grasping  Hake's 
hand,  and  kissing  it  with  deep  feeling. — "But  go 
now  to  the  hall,  and  leave  me ;  I  hear  them  lay- 
ing the  tables  for  supper.  The  window  is  easily 
removed;  I  will  hasten  at  once  and  get  things 
ready.  Take  good  care  not  to  re-enter  this  closet 
after  leaving  it,  for  the  carls  are  moving  about  the 
hall,  and  may  chance  to  observe  that  it  is  empty. 
Be  circumspect,  brother." 

They  squeezed  hands  again,  and  Hake  went  into 
the  hall,  where  he  mingled  with  the  housecarls,  and 
chatted  carelessly  about  the  events  of  the  day. 

The  instant  he  was  gone  Heika  rose  and  removed 
the  parchment  window,  took  a  billet  of  firewood  and 
laid  it  across  the  bed,  then,  leaping  out,  he  walked 
smartly  towards  the  west  end  of  the  village. 

It  was  beginning  to  grow  dark,  and  few  of  the 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  391 

people  were  about.  To  those  whom  he  passed 
Heika  nodded  familiarly,  but  did  not  stop.  The 
moment  he  had  rounded  the  cliff  which  hid  Brat- 
talid  from  view,  he  ran  westward  at  full  speed. 

Meanwhile  supper  was  laid  in  the  hall,  and  all 
were  awaiting  the  entrance  of  the  master  of  the 
house  and  Karlsefin,  but  there  was  no  appearance  of 
either.  After  a  quarter  of  an  hour  had  passed,  and 
they  were  beginning  to  wonder  what  had  become  of 
them,  the  door  opened  and  Biarne  entered,  saying 
that  Leif  had  sent  him  to  say  that  as  he  had 
business  which  would  keep  him  out  late,  they  were 
not  to  wait  supper  for  him. 

Hake  began  to  feel  somewhat  uneasy  at  this,  and 
when  supper  was  finished  he  resolved  to  leave  the 
house  a  little  before  the  appointed  time.  For  that 
purpose  he  entered  the  sleeping-closet,  intending  to 
pass  out  by  the  window. 

The  first  thing  that  caught  his  eye  was  the  billet 
of  firewood  lying  across  the  led  !  His  heart  almost 
stood  still  at  the  sight,  for  this,  coupled  with 
Heika's  display  of  deep  feeling,  and  their  recent 
conversation  about  signs,  caused  the  truth  to  flash 
upon  him. 

With  one  bound  he  passed  through  the  window 
and  flew  westward  like  the  wind — round  the  point, 
over  the  ridge,  and  down  towards  the  appointed 
rendezvous  at  the  skerries. 


392        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

But,  to  return  to  Heika.  When  lie  neared  the 
inlet  he  changed  his  pace  to  a  rapid  walk,  and 
glanced  cautiously  from  side  to  side,  to  make  quite 
sure  that  he  was  not  observed  by  any  one  who 
might  chance  to  have  wandered  in  that  direction. 

Now,  it  is  a  well-known  fact  in  the  affairs  of  this 
world,  that  many  strange  things  occur  in  a  most 
unaccountable  manner.  Who  can  tell  how  it  was, 
or  why  it  was  that,  just  a  few  minutes  before  Heika 
approached  the  inlet  from  the  landward  side,  a  small 
boat  entered  it  from  the  seaward  side,  out  of  which 
stepped  Leif  Ericsson  and  Karlsefin?  They  drew 
their  boat  into  a  corner  in  deep  shadow,  and  then, 
going  to  another  corner,  also  in  deep  shadow,  sat  down 
on  a  ledge  of  rock  without  uttering  a  single  word. 

They  had  never  been  in  that  inlet  before ;  had 
never  seen  it,  probably  never  thought  of  it  before, 
yet  there  they  were,  quietly  seated  in  it — and,  just 
in  the  nick  of  time ! 

From  the  place  where  they  sat  neither  their  own 
boat  nor  Leif  s  could  be  seen — only  the  landward 
opening  of  the  inlet. 

Presently  approaching  footsteps  were  heard.  The 
two  friends  rose.  A  moment  later  and  Heika  stood 
before  them.  He  stopped  abruptly  on  beholding 
them,  and  his  eyes  blazed  with  astonishment,  rage, 
and  despair.  Suddenly  he  looked  round  as  if  in 
search  of  a  weapon,  or  of  a  way  of  escape. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  393 

"  Be  wise,  lad,"  said  Leif,  kindly  yet  very  gravely ; 
"no  evil  will  come  of  it  if  ye  are  wise,  and  take 
your  misfortunes  like  a  man." 

Heika  was  subdued  by  the  gentle  tone.  He 
crossed  his  arms  on  his  heaving  chest,  and  stood 
erect  before  them  with  his  head  slightly  drooped, 
and  a  look  of  profound  sadness,  rather  than  disap- 
pointment, on  his  countenance. 

"  Come  hither,  Heika,"  said  Leif,  pointing  sea- 
ward, "  I  have  somewhat  to  show  thee." 

They  went  down  the  beach  till  they  stood  beside 
the  boat,  which  was  ready  for  sea. 

"This  is  a  strange  sight,"  he  continued;  "here 
is  an  excellent  boat,  well  found,  well  loaded,  well 
busked  in  every  way  for  a  long  voyage.  Knowest 
thou  aught  in  regard  to  it,  Heika  ? " 

"I  know,"  answered  the  Scot,  bitterly,  "that  if 
ye  had  come  hither  only  half-an-hour  later,  that 
boat  would  have  been  on  its  way  with  me  to  Scot- 
land." 

"  What,  with  you  alone  ?  * 

"  Ay — with  me  alone." 

"  That  is  strange,"  said  Leif,  somewhat  perplexed ; 
"  I  had  fancied  that  you  brothers  loved  each  other 
passing  well ;  but  I  suppose  that  a  man  who  can  be 
guilty  of  ingratitude  is  not  to  be  much  depended  on 
in  the  matter  of  affection." 

Heika  winced  at  these  words— not  that  the  charge 


394        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

of  ingratitude  affected  him,  but  lie  could  not  sub- 
mit calmly  to  the  unjust  supposition  that  in  his 
contemplated  flight  he  had  been  actuated  by  selfish 
indifference  to  his  brother.  At  the  same  time  he 
would  not  condescend  to  give  any  explanation  of 
his  conduct.  Drawing  himself  up,  he  looked  Leif 
full  in  the  face. 

"  Norseman,"  he  said,  "  small  is  the  gratitude  I 
owe  to  thee.  'Tis  true,  ye  have  treated  me  and  my 
brother  kindly  since  we  came  hither,  and  for  that  I 
owe  thee  thanks,  and  would  gladly  have  paid  this 
debt  before  leaving,  had  such  been  consistent  with 
flight ;  but  kindness,  however  great,  is  not  a  worthy 
price  for  liberty,  and  when  King  Olaf  Tryggvisson 
sent  me  to  thee,  I  made  no  promise  to  sell  my 
liberty  at  such  a  price.  But  in  regard  to  Hake — " 

"  Ay,  in  regard  to  Hake,  go  on ;  why  dost  thou 
stop  ? "  said  Leif,  in  a  stern  tone.  "  There  is  some 
truth  in  what  ye  say  about  gratitude ;  but  what  of 
Hake?" 

The  Scot  still  remained  silent,  with  his  lips  com- 
pressed, and  dropped  his  eyes  sternly  on  the  ground. 

"  This  seems  to  me  a  bad  business,"  said  Karlsefin, 
who  had  hitherto  listened  with  an  expression  of 
anxiety  and  disappointment  gradually  deepening  on 
his  countenance.  "I  had  thought  better  of  thee, 
Heika.  Surely  Hake's  longing  to  be  free  and  in  his 
own  native  land  must  be  to  the  full  as  strong  as  thine. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  395 

I  am  puzzled,  moreover,  for  two  were  better  than 
one  in  the  mad  voyage  ye  thought  to  undertake." 

Heika  smiled  at  this. 

"Truly,"  he  said,  "my  brother  loves  his  native 
land  and  freedom,  nevertheless  he  prefers  bondage  to 
freedom,  and  Greenland  to  his  native  land.  And 
yet  would  he  fain  have  sacrificed  his  preference,  and 
resigned  his  bondage  out  of  love  to  me,  if  I  would 
have  allowed  him." 

"  Eesigned  his  bondage,  Heika !"  exclaimed  Leif. 
"  Ye  speak  in  riddles,  man ;  what  mean  you  ?" 

Instead  of  replying  the  Scot  looked  at  Leif  with 
an  intelligent  smile,  and  held  up  his  forefinger  as  if 
to  call  attention.  At  the  same  moment  the  sound 
as  if  of  some  one  running  at  full  speed  was  heard 
faintly  in  the  distance. 

Leif  and  Karlsefin  looked  at  the  Scot  in  surprise. 

"  It  is  my  brother,"  he  said,  sadly. 

In  a  few  seconds  the  steps  were  close  at  hand. 
Leif  seized  Karlsefin  by  the  arm,  and  dragged  him 
swiftly  under  the  deep  shadow  of  the  cliffs  just  as 
Hake  came  through  the  narrow  opening  with  such  a 
rush  that  on  seeing  Heika  he  could  not  avoid 
plunging  violently  into  his  extended  arms. 

"Was  this  right  in  thee,  brother  ?"  he  cried,  laying 
his  hand  on  Heika's  shoulder,  on  recovering  himself ; 
"  was  it  wise  to  treat  me  thus  like  a  child  ?" 

"  It  was  kindly  meant,"  said  Heika,  much  per- 


396       THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

plexed  as  to  how  he  should  act  in  existing  circum- 
stances. 

"Kindly  meant!"  exclaimed  Hake,  vehemently. 
"Ay,  well  do  I  know  that,  yet  it  was  not  wisely 
kind  to  forsake  me  after  promising  to  take  me  with 
you,  when  ye  knew  that  I  did  but  leave  Bertha  for  a 
time,  and  meant  to  come  back  and  win  or  demand 
her  from — ." 

"  Hush !  brother,  hush !"  cried  Heika,  laying  his 
hand  on  the  other's  mouth.  "  Whatever  I  thought 
or  meant  to  do  matters  little  now,  for  I  have  found 
it  impossible  to  undertake  this  voyage  after  all." 

"  Impossible  !"  echoed  Hake  ;  "  why,  what  craven 
spirit  has  come  over  thee  ?  Is  not  the  boat  ready  ? 
am  not  /  ready,  and  is  not  the  opportunity  favour- 
able?" 

"  All  is  ready,  no  doubt,"  replied  Heika,  hesitating, 
"but—' 

"  But  the  truth  is,"  cried  Leif,  as  he  and  Karlsefin 
issued  from  their  place  of  concealment,  laughing 
heartily,  "the  truth  is  that  the  opportunity  is  not 
favourable,  for  I  have  some  objection  to  either  of 
you  leaving  me  at  present — though  the  objection  is 
not  so  strong  but  that  it  might  give  way  if  ye 
desired  it  greatly.  Come  hither  all  of  you." 

He  went  a  few  steps  towards  the  boat,  and 
pointing  to  it,  said — 

"  Tell  me,  Hake,  lor  thou  art  not  a  bad  counsellor 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  397 

at  need,  dost  think  that  vessel  there  is  a  sufficiently 
large  one  to  venture  a  voyage  in  it  on  these  northern 
seas  at  this  time  of  year  ?" 

"  It  is  large  enough  for  men  who  would  be  free," 
replied  Hake  moodily,  for  his  astonishment  on  first 
beholding  his  master  had  given  place  to  deep  morti- 
fication, now  that  he  perceived  his  brother's  hopes 
and  plans  were  frustrated. 

"Nay,  as  to  being  free,"  returned  Leif,  with  a 
laugh,  "  thy  brother  hinted  not  long  ago  something 
about  thy  preference  for  thraldom,  in  regard  to 
which  I  now  perceive  some  glimmering  of  reason ; 
but  I  ask  thee  for  a  matter-of-fact  opinion.  Dost 
think  there  would  be  much  risk  in  the  voyage  thy 
brother  contemplated  ?" 

"  There  would  be  some  risk,  doubtless,  yet  not  so 
much  but  that  we  would  have  run  it  for  the  sake  of 
freedom." 

"  H'm !  In  my  opinion  it  would  have  been  a  mad 
venture,"  rejoined  Leif.  "What  say  you,  Karl- 
sefin  ?" 

"  A  useless  venture,  as  well  as  mad,"  he  replied ; 
"  for  death,  not  freedom,  would  have  been  the  end 
of  it." 

"  So  I  think,"  returned  Leif,  "  and  that  is  my  only 
objection  to  your  undertaking  it,  Hake.  Neverthe- 
less if  you  and  Heika  are  still  willing  to  venture, 
ye  may  do  so.  There  lies  the  boat ;  a  fair  wind  is 


398        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

blowing  outside ;  get  on  board,  shove  off,  hoist  the 
sail  and  away  to  bonny  Scotland  if  you  will,  for  I 
grant  you  freedom  to  go  !" 

"  It  is  ill  to  jest  with  thralls,"  said  Heika,  looking 
sternly  at  his  master. 

"  Nay,  I  do  not  jest — nor  are  ye  thralls,"  replied 
Leif,  assuming  a  look  and  tone  of  unwonted  serious- 
ness. "  Give  me  your  attention,  friends  ;  and  thou, 
Karlsefm,  take  note  of  what  I  say,  for  I  care  not  to 
talk  much  on  this  subject  until  my  mind  is  more 
clear  upon  it.  My  opinion  is  that  this  new  religion 
which  we  hear  so  much  of  just  now,  is  true.  It  is 
of  God — not  of  man,  and  I  believe  that  Jesus  Christ, 
my  Lord,  has  come  in  the  flesh  to  save  His  people 
from  their  sins.  Many  things  have  led  me  to  this 
opinion,  in  regard  to  which  I  will  not  speak.  I  have 
thought  and  heard  much  for  some  years  past,  and 
wofully  have  I  been  staggered,  as  well  as  helped 
on,  by  the  men  who  have  been  sent  to  Greenland 
with  the  Good  News.  Some  have,  by  their  conduct 
squaring  with  their  profession,  led  me  to  believe. 
Others  have,  by  their  conduct  belying  their  profes- 
sion, hindered  me.  But  the  Lord  Himself  has  led 
me  into  a  certain  measure  of  light ;  and  there  is  one 
law  of  His  in  particular,  which  just  now  comes  home 
to  me  with  much  power,  namely  this — '  Whatsoever 
ye  would  that  men  should  do  unto  you,  do  ye  even 
so  unto  them.'  This  law,  I  am  persuaded,  is  of  God. 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  390 

Long  have  I  lived,  and  never  before  have  I  seen  it 
acted  on  till  these  Christians  came  amongst  us. 
They  do  not,  indeed,  always  practise  as  they  teach ; 
but  they  are  imperfect,  therefore  they  cannot  prac- 
tise fully  as  they  teach,  because  they  teach  perfec- 
tion. This  law  I  shall  henceforth  follow  as  I  best 
can.  I  follow  it  to-day.  If  I  were  in  thraldom  to 
you,  Heika,  just  now,  I  would  wish  you  to  set  me 
free,  therefore  I  now  set  you  and  your  brother  free. 
The  rule  is  very  simple  of  application.  It  only 
wants  a  willing  spirit.  And  let  me  add — ye  have 
to  thank  the  Lord,  not  me,  for  your  freedom." 

The  brothers  stood  speechless  with  surprise  on 
hearing  this,  but  Karlsefin  grasped  Leif  s  hand  and 
said  very  earnestly — 

"Ye  have  done  well,  brother.  Long  have  I 
thought  to  urge  thee  to  this,  and  frequently  have 
I  asked  of  Him  that  it  might  be  as  it  has  turned 
out.  Now,  my  prayer  is  answered.  But  what  say 
Heika  and  Hake  to  this  ?" 

"Never  mind  what  they  say,"  returned  Leif 
brusquely.  "Doubtless  their  thoughts  interfere 
with  their  speech  at  present.  And  hark  'ee,  all ;  as 
I  said  before,  I  desire  to  have  no  further  talk  at  pre- 
sent on  this  point.  Ye  are  welcome  to  tell  whom 
ye  please  what  I  have  said,  and  what  I  have  done, 
and  why  I  have  done  it — there  let  the  matter  rest. 
So  now,  Heika  and  Hake,"  he  added,  in  a  gay  tone, 


400  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

"  I  mean  what  I  say.  There  lies  the  boat,  and  ye 
are  free  to  go  if  it  please  you.  Only,  if  ye  will 
accept  my  advice  you  will  make  up  your  minds  to 
spend  this  winter  in  Greenland  as  my  guests,  and 
in  spring  there  will  be  better  weather  and  a  more 
fitting  craft  to  carry  you  over  the  sea  to  Scotland. 
Meanwhile  Hake  will  have  ample  opportunity  to 
woo,  win,  and  wed — without  demanding — the  fair 
Bertha !" 

Need  we  say  that  the  brothers  gladly  accepted 
this  generous  invitation,  and  endeavoured,  in  spite 
of  Leif 's  prohibition,  to  express  their  gratitude  in  a 
few  earnest  though  broken  sentences. 

Great  was  the  surprise  that  night  in  Brattalid, 
when  it  was  made  known  that  Leif  Ericsson  had 
given  freedom  to  his  thralls  out  of  regard  to  the 
Christian  religion.  Leif  afterwards  told  his  friends 
that  it  was  out  of  regard  to  the  Founder  of  that 
religion,  but  it  was  long  before  many  of  the  people 
could  see  a  distinction  in  that.  Numerous  were 
the  theological  discussions,  too,  which  this  act  of 
emancipation  called  forth  in  every  household,  and 
great  was  the  joy  which  it  created  in  one  or  two 
hearts. 

To  say  nothing  of  the  young  Scots  themselves,  it 
caused  the  heart  of  timid  little  Bertha  to  sing  for 
joy,  while  Gudrid,  Astrid,  and  Thora  rejoiced  sympa- 
thetically, and  looked  forward  with  pleasant  antici- 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  401 

pation  to  the  approaching  marriage.  Even  Freydissa 
opened  out  in  a  new  light  on  the  occasion,  and  con- 
gratulated her  handmaiden  heartily,  telling  her  with 
real  sincerity  that  marriage  was  the  only  thing  she 
was  fit  for ! 

But  it  was  Olaf  who  displayed  the  greatest  amount 
of  feeling  on  the  occasion,  and  it  was  Snorro  on  whom 
he  expended  himself ! 

On  the  morning  after  the  great  event,  he  hoisted 
Snorro  on  his  back  with  his  wonted  care  and  ten- 
derness, and  hurried  off  with  him  to  the  solitude  of 
the  sea-shore — for,  alas  !  there  were  no  umbrageous 
solitudes  in  Greenland.  There,  not  far  from  the  spot 
where  Flatface  and  his  Mends  had  once  been  made 
to  wriggle  their  coat-tails  with  terror,  he  set  Snorro 
down,  and,  sitting  on  a  rock  beside  him,  said — 

"  Now,  old  man,  it  is  going  to  have  a  talk  with 
me." 

"  Iss,"  replied  Snorro,  very  contentedly. 

"  Does  it  know  what  has  happened  to  Hake  and 
Heika?" 

Snorro  shook  his  head 

"Well,  my  father  has  set  them  both  free." 

"  Bof  fee  ?"  repeated  Snorro,  with  a  puzzled  look. 

"Yes,  both." 

"  Wat's  fee  ?"  asked  Snorro. 

Olaf  was  greatly  perplexed,  for  he  knew  not  how 
to  convey  an  idea  of  the  meaning  of  that  word  to 
2o 


402        THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

his  little  friend.  He  made  various  attempts,  how- 
ever, by  means  of  simple  illustrations  and  words,  to 
explain  it,  but  without  success — as  was  made  plain 
by  Snorro's  usually  intelligent  countenance  remain- 
ing a  perfect  blank. 

At  last  he  seized  the  child  by  both  wrists  and 
held  him  fast  for  a  few  seconds. 

"  Snorro,"  he  said,  "  you  are  not  free  while  I  hold 
you.  Now,"  he  added,  releasing  the  wrists,  "  you 
are  free." 

Snorro's  countenance  was  no  longer  blank,  but, 
on  the  contrary,  extremely  perplexed. 

"  Leif,"  he  said,  "  no'  hold  Heika  an'  Hake  by  e 
hands  !" 

"  No,"  replied  Olaf,  "  but  he  holds  them  by  the 
spirit." 

"  Wat's  spiwit?"  asked  Snorro. 

Olaf  was  in  despair ! 

"  Well,  well,"  he  cried,  after  stroking  his  chin  and 
pulling  his  nose,  and  knuckling  his  forehead  in  the 
vain  hope  of  hitting  on  some  other  mode  of  explain- 
ing his  meaning ;  "  it  don't  matter,  old  man.  They 
are  free,  and  that  has  made  them  very  happy  ;  and 
oh !  I  am  very  glad,  because  I  am  so  fond  of  Hake. 
Don't  you  remember  how  he  came  to  save  us  from 
the  Skraelingers,  and  nearly  did  it  too  ?  And  he  is 
going  to  be  married  to  Bertha.  Isn't  that  nice  ?  It 
knows  what  married  means,  don't  it  ?" 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  403 

"  No"  said  Snorro. 

"  Well,  no  matter ;  it 's  what  seems  to  make  every- 
body very  happy ;  and  Bertha  is  very  happy,  and  so 
am  I,  for  I  'm  fond  of  Bertha,  as  well  as  of  Hake ; 
and  so  is  Snorro,  isn't  he?" 

"  Iss,"  replied  Snorro,  with  a  very  decided  nod. 

"  Well,  that 's  all  very  pleasant,"  continued  Olaf, 
running  on  with  the  subject  until  it  led  him  into 
another  subject,  which  led  him  into  a  third  and 
fourth,  and  so  on,  with  the  ever- varying  moods  of 
his  gay  and  fanciful  mind,  until  he  was  led  in  spirit 
to  Vinland,  where  he  and  Snorro  remained  lost  in 
the  woods,  perfectly  contented  and  happy,  for  the 
remainder  of  the  day. 

And  now,  patient  reader,  we  must  lead  you  in 
spirit  away  from  the  scenes  on  which  we  have  dwelt 
so  long,  across  the  wide  ocean  to  Scotland. 

There,  on  the  heights  of  a  lion-like  hill,  stand 
Heika  and  Hake.  A  precipitous  crag  rises  behind 
them.  In  front  towers  a  rock,  from  which  Edwin's 
castle  frowns  down  on  the  huts  of  an  embryo  city. 
The  undulating  woodland  between  resounds  with  the 
notes  of  the  huntsman's  horn.  Away  in  the  distance 
lie  the  clear  waters  of  the  fiord  of  Forth,  and  the 
background  of  Scotia's  highland  hills  mingling  with 
the  sky. 

The  brothers  stand  in  rapt  and  silent  admiration 
of  the  scene,  as  well  they  may,  for  it  is  surpassingly 


404  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST 

beautiful.  But  they  do  not  stand  alone.  Bertha 
leans  on  Hake's  arm,  and  a  tall  girl  with  dark  hair 
leans  on  Heika's.  Beside  them  stands  a  fine-look- 
ing though  somewhat  delicate  old  man,  whose  be- 
nignant gaze  seems  to  be  more  attracted  by  the 
young  people  than  the  scenery. 

Need  we  say  that  this  is  the  Scottish  Earl,  the 
father  of  our  fleet-footed  thralls,  and  that  the  dark- 
haired  girl  is  Emma  ?  We  will  not  violate  your 
sense  of  propriety,  gentle  reader,  by  talking  of  Mrs. 
Heika ;  nor  will  we  venture  to  make  reference  to 
the  little  Heikas  left  at  home  ! 

But  these  are  not  all  the  party.  Karlsefin,  Biarne, 
and  Thorward  are  there — on  a  visit  to  the  Earl — 
with  Gudrid  and  Freydissa ;  and  away  on  the  fiord 
they  can  see  their  two  Norse  galleys  towering  like 
quaint  giants  at  rest  among  the  small  craft  that  ply 
and  skim  about  there. 

Shall  we  listen  to  what  our  friends  say?  We 
think  not.  Too  long  already  have  we  caused  them 
to  break  the  silence  which  they  have  maintained 
for  the  last  eight  hundred  years.  Let  us  rather  bid 
their  shades  depart  with  a  kind  farewell. 

But  before  the  memory  of  them  is  quite  gone,  let 
us  say  a  word  or  two  in  conclusion. 

Whether  the  Norsemen  ever  returned  again  to 
Vinland  is  a  matter  of  uncertainty,  for  the  saga  is 


OR  AMERICA  BEFORE  COLUMBUS.  405 

silent  on  that  point;  and  it  is  to  be  feared  that 
Snorro,  the  first  American,  did  not  return  to  take 
possession  of  his  native  land,  for  when  the  great 
continent  was  re-discovered  about  five  hundred 
years  later,  only  "  red- skins"  were  found  there ;  and 
the  Pilgrim  Fathers  make  no  mention  of  having  met 
with  descendants  of  any  colony  of  white  men. 

What  ultimately  became  of  Snorro  and  Olaf  is, 
we  regret  to  say,  unknown.  This,  however,  is  cer- 
tain, that  Karlsefin,  according  to  his  oft-expressed 
intention,  retired  to  Iceland,  where  he  dwelt  happily 
with  Gudrid,  Leif,  Biarne,  and  Thorward  for  many 
years.  It  is  therefore  probable  that  Snorro  and  Olaf 
took  to  a  seafaring  life,  which  was  almost  the  only 
life  open  to  enterprising  men  in  those  days.  If  they 
did,  they  distinguished  themselves — there  can  be  no 
doubt  whatever  upon  that  point. 

As  to  the  other  personages  who  have  figured  in 
our  tale,  we  can  only  surmise — at  least  hope — that 
they  lived  long  and  happily,  for  the  saga  relates 
nothing  as  to  the  end  of  their  respective  careers. 
But  of  this  we  are  quite  sure,  that  wherever  they 
went,  or  however  long  they  lived,  they  never  failed 
to  retain  a  lively  recollection  of  that  romantic  period 
of  their  lives  when  they  sojourned  in  the  pleasant 
groves  of  Vinland — that  mighty  continent  which, 
all  unsuspected  by  these  men  of  old,  was  destined, 


406  THE  NORSEMEN  IN  THE  WEST. 

in  the  course  of  time,  to  play  such  a  grand  and 
important  part  in  the  world's  history. 

Thus  ends  all  that  we  have  got  to  tell  of  the 
adventures  of  the  Norsemen  in  the  West,  and  the 
Discovery  of  America  before  Columbus 


THE  END. 


EDINBURGH  :  T.  AND  A.  CONSTABT  K, 
PRINTEIxS  TO  THE  QUEEN,  AND  TO  THE  UNIVERSITY. 


BY   THE   SAME   AUTHOR. 


Recently  Published,  Crown  8vo,  2*.  6d.,  Cloth, 

THE  PIONEERS:  A  Tale  of  the  Western 
Wilderness. 

ILLUSTEATIVE  OP  THE  ADVENTURES  AND  DISCOVERIES  OP 
SIR  ALEXANDER  MACKENZIE. 

Fifth  Thousand,  Crown  8vo,  5s.,  Cloth, 

THE  IRON  HORSE  :  or,  Life  on  the  Line.  A 
Railway  Tale.  With  Illustrations. 

Crown  8vo,  5s.,  Cloth, 

THE  GOLDEN  DREAM:  A  Tale  of  the  Diggings. 
With  Illustrations. 

Fourth  Thousand,  Crown  8vo,  5s.,  Cloth, 

THE  FLOATING  LIGHT  OF  THE  GOODWIN 
SANDS.  With  Illustrations. 

Sixth  Thousand,  Crown  8vo,  5s.,  Cloth, 

DEEP  DOWN :  A  Tale  of  the  Cornish  Mines. 
With  Illustrations. 

Fourth  Thousand,  Crown  8vo,  5s.,  Cloth, 

ERLING  THE  BOLD:  A  Tale  of  the  Norse 
Sea-Kings.  With  Illustrations. 

Sixth  Thousand,  Crown  8vo,  5s.,  Cloth, 

FIGHTING  THE  FLAMES:  A '  Tale  of  the 
London  Fire  Brigade.  With  Illustrations. 

Fifth  Thousand,  Crown  8vo,  5s.,  Cloth, 

SHIFTING  WINDS:  A  Tough  Yarn.  With 
Illustrations. 

Fifth  Thousand,  Crown  8vo,  5s.,  Cloth, 

GASCOYNE,  THE  SANDALWOOD  TRADER: 
A  Tale  of  the  Pacific.  With  Coloured  Illus- 
trations. 

Eighth  Thousand,  Crown  8vo,  5s.,  Cloth, 

THE  LIGHTHOUSE  :  Being  the  Story  of  a  Great 
Fight  between  Man  and  the  Sea.  With 
Illustrations. 

Seventh  Thousand,  Crown  8vo,  5s.,  Cloth, 

THE  LIFEBOAT  :  A  Tale  of  our  Coast  Heroes. 
With  Illustrations. 


BALLANTYNE'S    MISCELLANY 

OF  ENTERTAINING  AND  INSTRUCTIVE  TALES,  &c. 

Price  Is.  each  Volume,  or  the  Set,  in  a  handsome  Cloth  Box, 
Price  15s. 

I.— FIGHTING   THE   WHALES; 
OR,  DOINGS  AND  DANGERS  ON  A  FISHING  CRUISE. 

II.— AWAY    IN   THE   WILDERNESS; 

OR,  LIFE  AMONG  THE  RED  INDIANS  AND  FUR-TRADERS 
OF  NORTH  AMERICA. 

III.— FAST   IN  THE   ICE; 

OR,  ADVENTURES  IN  THE  POLAR  REGIONS. 

IV.— CHASING  THE  SUN;  OR,  RAMBLES  IN  NORWAY. 

V.— SUNK  AT  SEA; 

OR,  THE  ADVENTURES  OF  WANDERING  WILL  IN  THE  PACIFIC. 

VI.— LOST  IN  THE  FOREST; 

OR,  WANDERING  WILL'S  ADVENTURES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

VII.— OVER  THE  ROCKY  MOUNTAINS; 
OR,  WANDERING  WILL  IN  THE  LAND  OF  THE  REDSKIN. 

VIII.— SAVED  BY  THE  LIFEBOAT; 

OR,  A  TALE  OF  WRECK  AND  RESCUE  ON  THE  COAST. 

IX.— THE  CANNIBAL  ISLANDS  ; 

OR,  CAPTAIN  COOK'S  ADVENTURES  IN  THE  SOUTH  SEAS. 

X.— HUNTING  THE  LIONS  ;  OR,  THE  LAND  OF  THE  NEGRO. 

XL— DIGGING  FOR  GOLD; 

OR,    ADVENTURES   IN   CALIFORNIA. 

XII.— UP  IN  THE  CLOUDS  ;  OR,  BALLOON  VOYAGES. 

XIII.— THE  BATTLE  AND  THE   BREEZE; 
OR,   THE  TIGHTS   AND   FANCIES   OF  A  BRITISH  TAR. 

"  '  Ballantyne's  Miscellany*  is  attractive  and  useful.  There  is  no  more  practical 
way  of  communicating  elementary  information  than  that  which  has  been  adopted  in 
this  series.  When  we  see  contained  in  124  small  pages  (as  in  '  Fast  in  the  Ice ')  such 
information  as  a  man  of  fair  education  should  possess  about  icebergs,  northern  lights, 
Esquimaux,  musk-oxen,  bears,  walruses,  etc.,  together  with  all  the  ordinary  incidents 
of  an  Arctic  voyage,  woven  into  a  clear  connected  narrative,  we  must  admit  that  a  good 
work  has  been  clone,  and  that  the  author  deserves  the  gratitude  of  those  for  whom  the 
books  are  especially  designed,  and  also  of  young  people  of  all  classes." — Athenaeum. 


LONDON  :   JAMES  NISBET  &  CO.,  21  BERNERS  STREET. 


September,  1872. 


A   SELECTION   FROM 

JAMES  NISBET  AND  CO.'S 
LIST  OF  PUBLICATIONS. 


"THE  DEATH   OF    SELF,  THE   LIFE   OF  SER- 

VICE."  Lectures  on  Isaiah  vi.,  preached  in  Portman  Chapel,  during  Lent, 
1872.  By  the  Rev.  J.  W.  REEVE,  M.  A.  Small  Crown  8vo,  35.  6d.  cloth. 

THE  BEATITUDES  OF  THE  KINGDOM.     By  the 

Rev.  J.  OSWALD  DYKES,  M.A.     Small  Crown  8vo,  35.  6d.  cloth. 

THE    PIONEERS.     A  Tale  of   the  Western  Wilderness. 

Illustrative  of  the  Adventures  and  Discoveries  of  Sir  Alexander  Mackenzie. 
By  R.  M.  BALLANTYNE,  author  of  "The  Lifeboat,"  &c.  Small  Crown  8vo, 
2S.  6d.  cloth.  

WELSH  CALVINISTIC  METHODISM.     By  the  Rev. 

WILLIAM  WILLIAMS,  Crickhowel.    Small  Crown  8vo,  35.  6d.  cloth. 

THE     SCIENCE     OF    THEOLOGY  ;    or,  the  Order  of 

Universal  History.  Established  by  Scriptural  and  Historic  Data,  and  Illus- 
trated by  a  Chart  and  Tables.  By  ROBERT  GREGORY.  Demy  8vo,  IDS.  6d. 
cloth. 


THE    MINISTRY    OF    SONG.      By    FRANCES    RIDLEY 

HAVERGAL.    Third  Edition.     Small  Crown  8vo,  35.  6d.  cloth. 

ANNALS     OF     ENGLISH    PRESBYTERY    FROM 

THE  EARLIEST  PERIOD  TO  THE  PRESENT  TlME.  By  the  Rev. 
THOS.  McCRiE,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  author  of  "Sketches  of  Scottish  Church 
History,"  &c.  Small  Crown  8vo,  55.  cloth. 


CHRISTIAN  INSTRUCTION  FOUNDED  ON  THE 

CATECHISM  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  ENGLAND.  In  three  suc- 
cessive Steps.  By  the  Rev.  W.  DALTON,  B.D,  Small  Crown  8vo,  25.  cloth. 
Also,  separately,  ist  Step,  2d.  ;  2nd  Step,  8d.  ;  3rd  Step,  lod. 

TRUTH    IN    CHRIST.     By    the    Rev.    F.    WHITFIELD, 

M.A.,  author  of  "  Voices  from  the  Valley."  New  Edition,  Small  Crown  8vo, 
35.  6d.  cloth. 


WORKS  PUBLISHED  BY 


HEAVENLY    PLACES.      Addresses    on    the    Book    of 

Joshua.  By  STEVENSON  A,  BLACKWOOD,  Esq.  Small  crown  8vo,  25.  cloth 
limp  ;  2s.  6d.  boards.  __ 

AN    EXPLANATORY    AND    PRACTICAL    COM- 

MENTARY  ON  THE  NEW  TESTAMENT.  Intended  chiefly  as  a  help 
to  Family  Devotion  Edited  and  continued  by  the  Rev.  W.  DALTON,  B.D. 
Fourth  Edition.  2  vols.  8vo,  24*.  cloth. 


LITURGICA     DOMEST1CA.       Prayers    for    a    Week. 

Adapted  for  Family  Worship  from  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer.  Small  crown 
8vo,  is.  6d.  cloth. 

SOWING  AND  REAPING.     Life  of  the  late  Rev.  J.  T. 

Tucker,  Missionary  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society  to  Tinnevelly.  By  the 
Rev.  G.  PETTITT,  Vicar  of  St.  Jude's,  Birmingham.  Small  crown  8vo,  25.  6d. 
cloth.  With  Portrait. 

"One  of  the  most  interesting  and   important  of  missionary  publications." — 
Christian  Work.  

LIGHT  AND   TRUTH.      Bible  Thoughts  and  Themes. 

Fifth  and  concluding  volume.  The  Revelation  of  St.  John.  By  the  Rev. 
HORATIUS  BONAR,  D.D.  Crown  8vo,  55.  cloth. 

"  A  most  able  and  interesting  Commentary  on  the   Revelations." — Orir  Own 
Fireside. 

THE   IRON  HORSE  ;  or,  Life  on  the  Line.      A  Railway 

Tale.     By  R.   M.   BALLANTYNE,  author  of   "  The  Lifeboat,"  &c.     Second 

Edition.     With  Illustrations.     Crown  8vo,  55.  cloth. 
"  A  captivating  book  for  boys." — Guardian. 

*'  A  most  engaging  tale,  in  which  there  is  also  a  substratum  of  very  useful  prac- 
tical information." — Inverness  Courier. 


ST.  PAUL    IN    ROME  ;    or,  the  Teachings,   Fellowships, 

and  Dying  Testimony  of  the  great  Apostle  in  the  City  of  the  Caesars.     Being 
Sermons  preached  in  Rome  during  the  Spring  of  1871.     With  a  copious  Intro- 
duction,  containing    details    of  Local,    Historical,    and   Legendary  interest, 
fathered  on  the  spot    By  the  Rev.  J.  R.  MACDUFF,  D.D.    With  Photograph, 
mall  crown   8vo,  45.  6d.  cloth. 
"  Simple,  earnest,  and  evangelical." — Evangelical  Magazine. 


THE    CULTURE    OF    PLEASURE;    or,    The    Enjoy- 

ment  of  Life  in  its  Soc.al  and  Religious  Aspects.     By  the  author  of  "  The 
Mirage  of  Life."     Third  Edition.     Crown  8vo,  6s.  cloth. 
"  A  very  readable,  enjoyable  and  profitable  work." — The  Daily  Telegraph. 
"  A  pleasant  volume  to  read  ;    full  of  anecdote  and  illustration.     It  has  a  flavour 
of  the  raciness  of  the  Doctor  of  Southey  and  of  the  philosophy  of  the  Lacon  of 
Colton." — The  English  Churchman. 

INCIDENTS   IN  THE  LIFE  AND  MINISTRY  OF 

THE    LATE    REV.  A.  R.  C.  DALLAS,  M.A.,    RECTOR    OF   WONSTON. 
By  His  WIDOW.     With  Portrait.    Second  Edition.    Demy  8vo,  IDS.  6d.  cloth. 
"  An  important  and  well-timed  contribution  to  the  religious  biography  of  the 
nineteenth  century." — Christian  Observer* 


JAMES    NISBET  AND  CO. 


STORIES    OF    VINEGAR    HILL.      Illustrative  of  the 

Parable  of  the  Sower.  By  the  author  of  "The  Golden  Ladder."  With 
coloured  Illustrations.  Small  crown  8vo,  35.  6d.  cloth. 

"  An  admirable  example  of  the  way  in  which  the  teachings  of  Scripture,  and 
especially  the  parables  of  the  Lord,  may  be  used  so  as  to  engage  the  attention  and 
sympathy  of  children." — Nottconformist. 

THE  HOUSE  IN  TOWN.    A  sequel  to  "Opportunities." 

By  the  author  of  "  The  Wide  Wide  World,"  &c.    With  coloured  Illustrations. 
Small  crown  8vo,  25.  6d.  cloth. 
"  As  attractive  in  its  outer  adornment  as  in  its  interesting  story."— Daily  Review. 

THE  SONG  OF  THE  NEW  CREATION,  AND 

OTHER  PIECES.      By  the  Rev.  HORATIUS   BONAR,  D.D.       Author  of 
"Hymns  of  Faith  and  Hope."     Crown  8vo,  55.  cloth.     Cheap  Edition,  32010, 
is.  6d.,  cloth,  circuit  or  gilt  edges. 
"  Fresh  specimens  of  that  poetic  power  by  which  the  author  has  often  driven 

away  evil  spirits  from  the  hearts  of  men  and  cheered  them  in  the  dark." — British 

and  Foreign  Evangelical  Review^ 

SYNOPTICAL   LECTURES   ON   THE  BOOKS  OF 

HOLY  SCRIPTURE.     First  Series— Genesis  to  Canticles.     By  the   Rev. 
DONALD  FRASER,  M.A.     Second  Edition.     Post  8vo,  6s.  cloth. 
"  Singularly  interesting,  instructive,  and  comprehensive  lectures." — Record. 

TALES    OF    THE  WARRlblTjUDGES.     A  Sunday 

Book  for  Boys.     Foolscap  8vo,  25.  6d.  cloth.     With  Illustrations. 
"  Told  with  freshness  and  force." — Evangelical  Magazine. 

THE  TIMES  OF  THE  GENTILES;  Being  the  2520 

Years  from  the  First  Year  of  Nebuchadnezzar  (B.  c.  623)  to  the  i26oth 
Year  of  the  Mohammedan  Treading  Down  of  Jerusalem,  A.D.  1896.  By 
the  Rev.  J.  BAYLEE,  D.D.  Post  8vo,  55.  cloth. 

"  This  book  is  fresh,  and  full  of  acute  remark  and  pointed  criticism  on  Scripture." — 
Journal  of  Prophecy.  

AN  ENQUIRY  INTO  THE  CHRISTIAN  LAW  AS 

TO  THE  RELATIONSHIPS  WHICH  BAR  MARRIAGE.  By  the  late 
Professor  W.  LINDSAY,  D.D.  Small  Crown  8vo,  23.  6d.  cloth. 

"  Dr.  Lindsay  is  an  able,  acute,  and  logical  reasoner."— Record. 

"  Model  of  controversial  discussion."— Presbyterian. 

LITTLE  SUNBEAMS! Stories  by  JOANNA  H.  MATTHEWS. 

With  Coloured  Illustrations.     Crown  8vo,  35.  6d.  cloth. 

"  Many  important  lessons  are  taught  in  its  pages,  which,  while  never  dull,  are 
always  instructive." — Rock. 

A  TALE    OF  TWO    OLD    SONGS.     The  Bridge  and 

the  Village  Blacksmith.  By  the  Hon.  Mrs.  CLIFFORD-BUTLER.  Small  crown 
8vo,  2S.  6d.  cloth. 

A  SUNBEAM'S  INFLUENCE  ;    or,  Eight  Years  After. 

By  the  same  Author.     Small  crown  8vo,  25.  6d.  cloth. 

"  This  lady  writes  very  pleasantly  and  without  exaggeration."— ZTz^wzVig- 
Standard.  ''  Well-written  and  somewhat  pathetic  tales."— R ecord. 

THE    MIRACLES    OF    OUR    LORD.     A  Course  of 

School-room  Lectures.  By  the  late  Rev.  E.  WALKER,  D.C.L.,  Rector  of  Chel- 
tenham.    Edited  by  a  Member  of  the  Congregation.     Crown  8vo,  55.  cloth. 
"Model  examples   of  what,  we  think,  deserves  to  be  called  'preaching    the 
Word. ' '' — Our  Own  Fireside. 


WORKS  PUBLISHED  BY 


.EARTHLY  SHADOWS  OF  THE  HEAVENLY 

KINGDOM.     By  the  Rev.  F.  WHITFIELD,  M.A.     Author  of  "  Christ  in  the 
Word."     Small  Crown  8vo,  35.  6d.  cloth. 
"  Contains  many  valuable  applications  and  illustrations  of  great  truths." — Rock. 


MEMORY'S     PICTURES.       Poems    by    the    author    of 

"  Memorials  of  Capt.  Hedley  Vicars,"  &c.      Foolscap   8vo,  25.  6d.  cloth,  gilt 
edges. 
"  A  most  elegant  and  attractive  volume  of  poetry." — Scattered  Nation. 

DRAYTON  HALL.      Stories  Illustrative  of  the  Beatitudes. 

By  the  author  of  "  Nettie's  Mission,"  &c.    With  coloured  Illustrations.  Small 
crown  8vo,  35.  6d.  cloth. 

"  For  boys,  few  better  or  more  healthy  stories  could  be  found." — English  Inde- 
pendent. 

WITHOUT  AND  WITHIN.     A    New   England   Story. 

With  coloured  Illustrations.     Small  crown  8vo,  35.  6d.  cloth. 
"  The  story  is  well  told  ;  the  characters  are  well  delineated  ;    the  pathetic  and 
the  humorous  are  skilfully  blended. "—Maryland  Church  Record. 


THE  DAY  OF  BEREAVEMENT  ;  Its  Lessons  and  its 

Consolations.     By  G.   W.    MYI.NE,  Author   of  "  Reposing  in  Jesus,"  &c. 
i6mo,  is.  6d.  cloth. 
"  Wordsjfowz  the  heart,  which  will  reach  to  the  heart." — Our  Own  Fireside. 


THE  KING'S  TABLE.      The  Lord's  Supper  in   Letters 

to  a  Young  Friend.    By  the  Rev.   G.  PHILLIP,  M.A.,  Edinburgh.     Second 

Edition.     i6mo,  8d.  sewed  ;  is.  cloth. 

"  We  do  not  aver  that  the  little  treatise  before  us  has  reached  perfection,  but 
it  comes  nearer  the  mark  than  anything  we  have  lately  met  with." —  British 
and  Foreign  Evangelical  Review. 

MEMORIES    OF     PATMOS ;    or,    Some    of   the   Great 

Words  and  Visions  of  the  Apocalypse.     By  the  Rev.  J.  R.  MACDUFF,  D.D. 
With  Vignette.     Post  8vo,  6s.  6d.,  cloth. 

"Dr.  Macduff  has  given  us  a  volume  of  beautiful  thoughts,  and  has  clothed 
these  thoughts  with  language  which  is  at  once  elegant  and  forcible.'1 — Rock. 

MOSES  THE  MAN  OF  GOD.     A    Series   of  Lectures 

by  the  late  JAMES  HAMILTON,  D.D.,  F.L.S.     Second  Edition.     Small  Crown 

8vo,  55.,  cloth. 

"Graceful  description,  imaginative  reconstruction,  unconventional,  and  often 
very  ingenious,  sometimes  learned  disquisition,  with  the  light  graceful  touch  of 
poetic  style  and  delicate  fancy." — British  Quarterly  Review. 


LAYS  OF  THE  HOLY  LAND.     Selected  from  Ancient 

and  Modern  Poets  by  the  Rev.  HORATIUS  BONAR,  D.D.  New  Edition, 
with  Illustrations  from  original  Photographs  and  Drawings.  Crown  410, 
i2s.,  cloth. 

"The  Holy  Land  is  a  subject  to  which  all  great  poets  have  devoted  some  of 
their  best  endeavours,  and  these  are  now  brought  together  and  adorned  by  illustra- 
tions worthy  of  such  a  text.  .  .  .  The  volume  will  long  remain  a  favourite." — 
Times. 


JAMES   NISBET   AND  CO. 


THE    FLOATING    LIGHT    OF    THE    GOODWIN 

SANDS.    A  Tale  by  R.  M.  BALLANTYNE,  Author  of  "  The  Lifeboat,"  &c. 
With  Illustrations.     Crown  8vo,  .55.  cloth. 

"  As  full  of  incident,  as  healthy  in  tone,  and  as  fresh  and  vigorous  in  style  as 
any  of  its  predecessors." — Scotsman. 

LITTLE   ELSIE'S   SUMMER  AT  MALVERN.     By 

the  Hon.  Mrs.  CLIFFORD  BUTLER.  Royal  i6mo,  2S.6d.  cloth.  With  Illustrations. 
"A  pleasing  little  story  of  a  good  little  girl— her  pleasures  and  her  pets."— 
Daily  Telegraph. 

TOILING  IN  ROWING;  or,  Half-hours  of  Earnest  Con- 

verse  with  my  Hard-working  Friends.     By  one  who  knows  and  loves  them. 
Small  Crown  8vo,  2S.,  cloth  limp. 
"An  earnest,  affectionate,  and  practical  little  book." — Daily  Review. 

WHAT  SHE  COULD,  AND  OPPORTUNITIES  TO 

DO  IT.     By  the  Author  of  "  The  Wide  Wide  World."    With  Coloured  Illus- 
trations.    Small  Crown  8vo,  35.  6d.  cloth. 

"A  capital  book  for  girls." — Daily  Review. 

"  Clever  and  interesting  little  book." — Glasgow  Herald. 


GLEN  LUNA  ;  or,  Dollars  and  Cents.     By  ANNA  WARNER, 

Author  of  "The   Golden   Ladder."     New  Edition.     With  Coloured  Illus- 
trations.    Small  Crown  8vo,  35.  6d.  cloth. 

"  A  really  good  tale." — Rock. 

"  Sure  to  increase  in  popularity." — English  Presbyterian  Messenger. 


LOVE    FULFILLING    THE    LAW.       Stories   on    the 

Commandments.     i6mo,  25.  6d.  cloth.     With  Illustrations. 
"  Pretty  and  handy  little  book." — Glasgow  Herald. 


A  PRACTICAL  COMMENTARY  ON  THE  GOSPEL 

ACCORDING  TO    ST.    JOHN.      In  simple   and  familiar   language.     By 
G.  B.     Small  Crown  8vo,  35.  6d.  cloth. 

"We  cordially  recommend  them  as  truly  simple,  earnest,  and  faithful  com- 
ments."— Our  Own  Fireside. 

THE  ATONEMENT  ;   in  its  Relations  to  the  Covenant,  the 

Priesthood,  and  the  Intercession  of  our  Lord.     By  the  Rev.  HUGH  MARTIN, 
D.D.     Post  8vo,  6s.  cloth. 

"A  volume  written  with  remarkable  vigour  and  earnestness."— British  Quarterly 
Review. 

"  Well  worthy  of  a  careful  perusal,  and  we  cordially  recommend  it  to  all  our 
readers,  and  especially  to  ministers  and  students  of  theology."— Evangelical  Witness. 

THE  LIFE  OF  THE  LATE  JAMES  HAMILTON, 

D.D.,  F.L.S.      By  the  Rev.  WILLIAM  ARNOT,  Edinburgh.     Post  8vo,  75.  6d. 

cloth.     With  Portrait. 

"We  rejoice  to  recommend  this  volume  as  a  congenial  and  worthy  record  of  one 
of  the  noblest  and  most  fruitful  lives  with  which  the  Church  of  Christ  has  been 
blessed  in  modern  days.  The  editor's  work  has  been  done  with  admirable  judgment." 
—  Weekly  Review.  • 


WORKS  PUBLISHED  BY 


A  MEMOIR  OF    THE    LATE  REV.  WILLIAM  C. 

BURNS,  M.A.,  Missionary  to  China.    By  Professor  ISLAY   BURNS,  D.D., 

Glasgow.      Crown  8vo,  6s.  cloth.    With  Portrait. 

"  A  more  apostolic  life  has  rarely  been  spent.  .  .  .  It  is  impossible  to  esti- 
mate too  highly  the  good  that  may  flow  from  this  record  of  Christian  life  and  labour.'" 
— Sunday  Magazine. 

THE  LORD'S  PRAYER.    Lectures  by  the  Rev.  ADOLPH 

SAPHIR,  B.A.,  Greenwich.     Small  Crown  8vo,  55.  cloth. 

"A  work  so  wide  in  its  range  of  thought,  and  so  concentrated  in  its  doctrinal 
teachings,  so  rich  and  well  packed,  yet  so  simple  and  interesting,  and  so  clear,  pure, 
and  intelligible  in  expression  does  not  often  make  its  appearance." — Christian 
Work.  

CHRIST   IN   THE   WORD.      By     the     Rev.     FREDERICK 

WHITFIELD,  M.A.,  Author  of  "  Voices  from  the  Valley,"  &c.      Small  Crown 

8vo,ss.  6d.  cloth. 

"Very  able  and  searching  applications  of  spiritual  truth." — Our  Own  Fireside. 
"  Excellent  reading  for  the  closet  and  family  circle." — Watchman. 

THE  SHEPHERD  AND  HIS  FLOCK;  or,  The  Keeper 

of  Israel  and  the  Sheep  of  His  Pasture.    By  the  Rev.  J.  R.  MACDUFF,  D.D. 
With  Vignette.     Small  Crown  8vo,  35.  6d.  cloth. 

"A  remarkably  well-written  volume,  eminently  practical  and  devout  in  its  tone, 
and  one  which  spiritually-minded  persons  will  read  with  both  pleasure  and  profit." — 
Journal  of  Sacred  Literature. 


ERLING  THE  BOLD.     A  Tale  of  the  Norse  Sea- Kings. 

By  R.  M.  BALLANTYNE,  Author  of  "  The  Lifeboat,"  &c.    With  Illustrations 
by  the  Author.     Crown  8vo,  55.  cloth. 

"  The  story  is  cleverly  designed,  and  abounds  with  elements  of  romantic  interest ; 
and  the  author's  illustrations  are  scarcely  less  vigorous  than  his  text." — Athenaeum. 


LIGHT  AND  TRUTH.     Bible  Thoughts  and  Themes— 

First,    Second,     Third,    and   Fourth    Series  —  i.    THE    OLD   TESTAMENT. 
2.  THE  GOSPELS.      3.  THE  ACTS  AND  THE  LARGER   EPISTLES.      4.  THE 
LESSER   EPISTLES.     5.    THE  REVELATION   OF    ST.  JOHN.      By  the*  Rev. 
HORATIUS  BONAR,  D.D.     Crown  8vo,  each  55.  cloth. 
"Rich  in  matter  and  very  suggestive." — Christian  Advocate. 
"  Valuable  work.     It  contains  a  series  of  brief  expositions  well  suited  for  private 
use,  or  for  family  reading." — Record. 


LECTURES    ON  HOSEA  XIV.     Preached   in  '  Portman 

Chapel  during  Lent,  1869.     By  the  Rev.  J.  W.  REEVE,  M.A.     Small  Crown 

8vo,  35.  6d.  cloth 

"  It  would  be  hard  to  over-estimate  the  amount  of  Gospel  truth,  practical  exhor- 
tation, plain  speaking,  and  affectionate  interest  in  the  spiritual  welfare  of  his  people, 
contained  in  these  six  lectures." — Record. 


SERMONS.     Preached  at  King's  Lynn.     By  the  late  Rev. 

E.  L.  HULL,  B.A.  First  and  Second  Series.  Post  8vo,  each  6s.  cloth. 
"This  new  volume  of  twenty  sermons  has  all  the  claims  of  the  first — the  same 
happy  use  of  Scripture,  the  same  clear  and  firm  grasp  of  the  principle  of  every  text 
he  selected,  the  same  earnest  longing  after  the  beauty  and  holiness  on  which  he  has 
now  entered,  the  same  play  of  imagination,  the  same  freshness  of  thought,  and 
fitness  of  utterance. " — Freeman. 


JAMES   NISBET    AND  CO, 


THE  TITLES  OF  OUR  LORD;    A  Series  of  Sketches 

for  Every  Sunday  in  the  Christian  Year,  to  be  used  in  Bible-Class,  Sunday 
School,  and  Private  Study.  By  the  Rev.  ROWLEY  HILL,  M.A.,  Vicar  of  Frant. 
t6mo,  is.  6d.  cloth. 

"The  idea  is  excellent.     .     .     .    The  matter  is  well  arranged,  free  from  repe- 
titions, and  in  exposition  thoroughly  scriptural." — Record. 


STEPPING     HEAVENWARD.        By    Mrs.    PRENTISS. 

Author  of  "  Little  Susy's  Six  Birthdays,"  &c.      With  Coloured  Illustrations. 
Small  Crown  8vo,  25.  od.  cloth. 

"  A  faithful  diary,  recording  the  experiences  of  a  good  and  gentle  soul  in  its 
onward  march  to  a  better  land." — Rock. 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  NATURAL  HISTORY.     First 

and  Second   Series.     By.   P.   H.   GOSSE,  F.R.S.      With  many  Illustrations. 

Small  Crown  8vo,   each  35.   6d.  cloth. 
"A  very  pleasing  and  attractive  work." — Times. 
"It  would  be  difficult  to  find  more  attractive  gift  books  for  the  young." — Record. 


BOOKS  FOR  WAYFARERS.  By  ANNA  WARNER,  Author 

of  the  "  Golden  Ladder."'32mo,  cloth,  i.  WAYFARING  HYMNS,  ORIGINAL  AND 
SELECTED.  6d.  2.  THE  MELODY  OF  THE  TWENTY-THIRD  PSALM.  8d.  3. 
THE  OTHER  SHORE.  8d. 

"There  is  an  unction  "and  a  beauty  about  the  books  that  well  fit  them  to  be 
pocket  or  table  companions." — Freeman. 

"  Two  little  books,  beautiful  without  and  within." — English  Presbyterian 
Messenger. 


MEMORIALS     OF     THE     LATE     JAMES     HEN- 

DERSON,  M.D.,  F.R.C.S.E.  Medical  Missionary  to  China.  With  Appendix. 
Small  Crown  8vo,  35.  6d.  cloth.  With  Portrait.  Also,  Cheap  and  Abridged 
Edition,  i6mo,  is.  cloth  limp. 

"  The  memorials  of  Dr.    Henderson  form  as  beautiful  and  exhilarating  a  little 

history  as  it  has  been  for  some  time    our  task  or  pleasure  to  read It  is 

the  story  of  one  of  those  noble  lives  before  which  power  and  difficulty  recoil,  and 
give  up  the  contest" — Eclectic  Review. 


NOONTIDE    AT    SYCHAR  ;    or,  The   Story  of  Jacob's 

Well.      By  the    Rev.   J.    R.     MACDUFF,    D.D.     With   Vignettes.      Small 
Crown  8vo,  33.  6d.  cloth. 

"One  of  the  most  attractive  of  the  many  pleasant  and  profitable  religious  studies 
published  by  Dr.  Macduff." — Daily  Review. 


DEEP  DOWN.     A  Tale  of  the  Cornish  Mines.     By  R.  M. 

BALLANTYNE,  Author  of  "The  Life  Boat,"  etc.     With  Illustrations.     Small 

Crown  8vo,  55.  cloth. 

"  This  is  just  the  subject  for  Mr.  Ballantyne,  whose  stories  in  connection  with 
that  enterprise  and  adventure  which  have  made  England  great  are  amongst  the  best 
of  modern  days." — Daily  News. 


WORKS  PUBLISHED  BY 


FAMILY   PRAYERS    FOR   FOUR   WEEKS.      With 

Additional  Prayers  for   Especial  Days  and  Occasions.     By  the  Very   Rev. 
HENRY  LAW,  M.A.,  Dean  of  Gloucester.    Small  Crown  8vo,  35.  6d.  cloth. 

"  Thoroughly  sound  and  scriptural,  and  really  devotional." — Christian  Observer, 


LIFE  OF  THE  LATE  REV.  JOHN  MILNE,  M.A.,  of 

Perth.     By  the  Rev.  HORATIUS  BONAR,  D.D.  With  Portrait.    Crown  8vo,  6s. 
cloth.     Cheap  Edition.     Small  crown  8vo,  35.  6d.  cloth. 

"Written  with  the  elegance,  sound  judgment,  and  good  feeling  which  were  to 
be  expected  from  Dr.  Bonar  ;  and  being  given  to  a  large  extent  in  the  autobiogra- 
phical form,  it  is,  on  that  account,  the  more  trustworthy  and  valuable." — British  and 
Foreign  Evangelical  Review. 


TALES  FROM  "ALSACE;  or,  Scenes  and  Portraits  from 

Life  in  the  Days  of  the  Reformation,  as  drawn  from  Old  Chronicles.     Trans- 
lated from  the  German.     Crown  8vo,  35.  6d   cloth. 
"  We  have  not  for  a  long  time  perused  a  more  delightful  book 

we  are  certain  wherever  it  is  read  it  will  be  a  great  favourite  with  young  and  old." — 

Daily  Review. 

A  MEMOIR  OF  THE  LATE  REV.  DR.  MALAN, 

OF  GENEVA.     By  one  of  his  Sons.     With  Portrait  and  Engravings.     Post 
8vo,  75.  6d.  cloth. 

"  We  feel  ourselves  in  this  biography  brought  into  contact  with  an  humble  but 
truly  saintly  man,  whom  to  know  is  to  love,  and  whom  it  is  impossible  to  know  with- 
out being  ourselves  benefited." — Christian  Work. 


FAMILY  PRAYERS    FOR    A    MONTH,    with  a  few 

Prayers  for  Special  occasions.      By  the  Rev.  J.  W.  REEVE,  M.A.,  Portman 
Chapel.     Small  Crown  8vo,  35.  6d.  cloth. 
"Admirably  suited  for  the  devotions  of  a  Christian  household." — Rock. 


BEACONS  OF  THE  BIBLE.     By  the  Very  Rev.  HENRY 

LAW,    M.A.,  Dean  of  Gloucester,  Author  of    "  Christ  is  All,"  etc.      Small 

Crown  8vo,  35.  6d.  cloth. 

"  Dr.  Law's  work  overflows  with  striking  and  beautiful  images,  briefly  expressed 
in  short,  incisive  sentences,  often  musical  in  their  cadence,  and  melodious  as  poetry 
:fc^«ir»»  E»--/. 


itself."— Rock. 


THE  WORKS  OF  THE  LATE  JAMES  HAMILTON, 

D.D.,   F.L.S.     Complete  in  Six  Vols.,  post  8vo,  each  75.  6d.  cloth. 
"  More  than  most  men  he  has  embalmed  his  qualities  in  his  writings.     .     .     They 
well  deserve  to  be  published  in  a  permanent  form,  and  this  handsome  library  edition 
will  be  a  great  boon  to  many  families." — Freeman. 

OUR    FATHER    IN    HEAVEN.      The   Lord's    Prayer 

Familiarly  Explained  and  Illustrated.     A  Book  for  the  Young.     By  the  Rev. 

J.  H.  WILSON,  Edinburgh.     With  Illustrations.      Small    Crown  8vo,   25.  6d. 

cloth. 

"  We  know  no  better  book  of  its  kind.'' — Rdinburgh  Evening  Courant. 
"  One  of  the  most  interesting  and  successful  expositions  of  the  Lord's  Prayer  in 
our  language." — Evangelical  Magazine. 


JAMES    NISBET  AND  CO. 


RIGHTS  AND  WRONGS:  or,  Begin  at  Home.  By  M.  M. 

GORDON,  Author  of  "Work;    Plenty  to   Do,  and  How  to  Do  it."     Small 

Crown  8vo,  2s   6d.  limp  cloth. 

"  The  purpose  of  the  publication  is  for  circulation  amongst  the  female  inmates  of 
cottages  and  working  men's  houses,  or  to  be  read  at  mothers'  or  daughters'  meetings. 
For  these  ends  it  will  be  found  exceedingly  suitable,  and  fitted  to  be  widely  useful." — 
Aberdeen  Free  Press. 


FROM  SEVENTEEN  TO  THIRTY.     The  Town  Life 

of  a  Youth  from  the   Country  ;    its  Trials,    Temptations,    and   Advantages. 

Lessons  from  the  History  of  Joseph.     By  the  Rev.  THOMAS  BINNEY.     Small 

Crown  8vo,  is.  6d.  cloth. 

"  Nothing  can  exceed  the  quiet  dignity,  beauty,  and  simplicity  of  style  in  which 
this  book  is  written.  Not  only  is  it  a  model  of  wise  scriptural  exposition,  but  we 
cannot  at  this  moment  recall  anything  that  approaches  it." — English  Independent. 


THE  SABBATH-SCHOOL  INDEX.     Pointing  out  the 

History  and  Progress  of  Sunday  Schools,  with  approved  modes  of  Instruction, 
etc.,  etc.  By  R.  G.  PARDEE,  A.M.  With  Introductory  Preface  by  the  Rev. 
J.  H.  WILSON,  Edinburgh.  Small  Crown  8vo,  25.  6d.  cloth. 

"The  author  has  succeeded  in  an  admirable  manner  in  producing  a  work  that  will 
stand  pre-eminently  as  the  teacher's  handbook.  We  have  not  found  one  subject  of 
any  importance  to  the  teacher  which  he  has  not  considered. " —  Weekly  Review. 


MEMORIES  OF  OLIVET.     By  the  Rev.  J.  R.  MACDUFF, 

D.D.     With  Vignette.      Post  8vo,  6s.  6d.  cloth. 

"The  almost  photographic  clearness  with  which  every  point  around  Jerusalem  is 
described,  and  the  frequent  though  unobtrusive  illustration  of  the  sacred  text  from 
eastern  life,  together  with  the  vivid  realization  of  the  movements  of  our  Saviour 
during  the  last  few  days  of  his  earthly  career,  make  the  Memories  of  Olivet  a  most 
valuable  companion  in  the  study  of  the  preacher  and  teacher,  and  in  the  chamber  of 
the  home  student." — Record. 


THE    LIFE  OF   THE    LATE   REV.   DR.  MARSH, 

of  Beddington.  By  his  DAUGHTER,  the  Author  of  "  English  Hearts  and  Eng- 
lish Hands,"  etc.  With  Portrait.  Post  8vo,  ics.  cloth;  Cheap  Edition, 
Small  Crown  8vo,  ss.  6d.  cloth. 

"  We  have  read  this  volume  with  much  interest,  and  can  recommend  it  as  an  ex- 
cellent account  of  Dr.  Marsh's  life  and  career,  and  of  the  associations  connected  with 
them. " —  Times. 

MEMORIES  OF  GENNESARET  ;  or,  Our  Lord's  Minis- 

trations  in  Galilee.  With  a  new  and  extended  Preface,  from  observations 
made  upon  the  spot.  By  the  Rev.  J.  R.  MACDUFF,  D.D.  Post  8vo, 
6s.  6d.  cloth. 

"  An  excellent  and  exceedingly  attractive  work.  Its  character  is  simplicity,  ear- 
nestness, and  devotedness." — Witness. 


THE  PEARL  OF  PARABLES.     Notes  on  the  Parable 

of  the  Prodigal  Son.     By  the  late  JAMES  HAMILTON,  D.D.     With  Twelve 

Illustrations  by  SELOUS.    Printed  on  toned  paper,  and  elegantly  bound.  Small 

4to,  8s.  6d.  cloth.    Also  a  Cheap  Edition,  without  Plates,  i6mo,  is.  6d.  cloth. 

"  A  book  Ike  this  is  a  very  rich  enjoyment  for  both  mind  and  heart.     A  more  fitting 

gift-book  for  young  men  could  hardly  be  conceived." — British  Quarterly  Re-view. 


10  WORKS  PUBLISHED  BY 

THE  DARWINIAN  THEORY  OF  THE  TRANSMU- 

TATION OF  SPECIES  EXAMINED.     By  a  GRADUATE  OF  THE  UNIVER- 
SITY OF  CAMBRIDGE.     Demy  8vo,  zos.  6d.  cloth. 

"  The  volume  is  a  work  of  no  ordinary  merit.  ...  It  indicates  extensive 
.reading,  intimate  acquaintance  with  the  whole  history  of  the  Transmutation  school 
of  thinking,  great  mastery  of  the  abundant  material  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the 
author,  and  a  large  infusion  of  common  sense."  —  British  Quarterly  Review. 

PLAIN  SERMONS  ON  THE  GOSPEL  MIRACLES. 

By  the  Rev.  ARTHUR   ROBERTS,    M.A.     Crown  8vo,  55.  cloth. 
"Plain   and   simple,   without   attempt    at    critical    disquisition   or    philosophical 
inquiry,  they  are  earnest,  scriptural,  and  attractive.     The  style,  with  nothing  lofty 
in  it,  is  pleasant,  and  the  sermons  are  thoroughly  readable."  —  Church  of  England 
Magazine.  , 


THE  SHADOW  AND  THE  SUBSTANCE.    A  Second 

Series  of  Addresses  by  STEVENSON  A.  BLACKWOOD,  Esq.     Small  Crow 
as.  cloth  limp,  2S.  6d.  cloth  boards. 

"A  very  thoughtful  and  thoroughly  scriptural  view  of  the  Passover.    .. 
those  who  wish  for  useful  reading  to  adult  classes,  or  to  mothers'  meetings,  we 


Series  of  Addresses  by  STEVENSON  A.  BLACKWOOD,  Esq.     Small  Crown  8vo. 
as.  cloth  limp,  2S.  6d.  cloth  boards. 

.    To 

g  to  adult  classes,  or  to  mothers'  meetings,  we  com- 
mend this  book."  —  Record.          _ 

THE  PROPHET  OF  FIRE  ;  or,  The  Life  and  Times  of 

Elijah,  and  their  Lessons.     By  the  Rev.  J.    R.  MACDUFF,  D.D.    Post  8vo, 
6s.  6d.  cloth. 

"  Full  of  incident,  rich  in  illustration,  smooth  and  pleasing  in  style,  and  abounding 
in  practical  lessons."  —  English  Presbyterian  Messenger. 


ST.   PAUL  ;    His    Life    and   Ministry  to    the   Close    of  his 

Third  Missionary  Journey.      By  the  Rev.   THOMAS   BINNEY.     Crown  8vo, 
55.  cloth. 

"  Mr.  Binney  has  elaborated  into  a  volume  his  magnificent  lectures  on  St.  Paul's 
Life  and  Ministry.  .  .  .  Mr.  Binney's  books  need  no  commendation  of  ours." — 
Quarterly  Messenger  Young  Men  s  Christian  Association. 

SUNSETS    ON   THE    HEBREW    MOUNTAINS  ;  or, 

Some  of  the  most  prominent  Biographies  of  Sacred  Story  viewed  from  Life's 
Close.     By  the  Rev.   J.   R    MACDUFF,  D.D.     Post  8vo,  6s.  6d.  cloth. 
"  Dr.  Macduff  has  rightly  appreciated  the  characters  he  has  described,  and  has 
truthfully  delineated  their  features.     The  points  of  instruction,  too,  which  lie  draws 
from  them  are  apposite,  scriptural,  and  telling." — Church  of  England  Magazine. 

THE   LIGHTHOUSE  ;  or,  The  Story  of    a    Great  Fight 

between  Man  and  the  Sea.     By  R.  M.  BALLANTYNE,  Author  of  "The  Life- 
boat," etc.,  etc.     Illustrations.   Crown  8vo,  55.  cloth. 

''  Interesting  to  all  readers." — Arbroath  Guide. 

"  A  story  at  once  instructive  and  amusing." — Dundee  Advertiser. 


FIFTY-TWO    SHORT    SERMONS    FOR    FAMILY 

READING.     By  HORATIUS  BONAR,  D.D.     Crown  8vo,  6s.  cloth. 
"These  are  short  plain  sermons  for  family  reading,  and  are  admirably  fitted  for 
so  good  a  purpose." — English  Presbyterian  Messenger. 

FORGIVENESS,  LIFE,  AND  GLORY.     Addresses  by 

S.  A.  BLACKWOOD,  Esq.  Small  Crown  8vo,  25.  cloth  limp  ;  25. 6d. cloth  boards. 
"  Full  of  devout  earnestness  and  scriptural  truth." — Church  of  England  Magazine. 
"They  are  all  solemn  and  searching. — Morning  Advertiser. 


JAMES  NISBET  AND  CO.  II 

THE  LIFEBOAT  :  A  Tale  of  our  Coast  Heroes.    A  Book 

for  Boys.    By.  R.  M.  BALLANTYNE,  Author  of  "The  Lighthouse,"  etc.    With 
Illustrations.     Crown  8vo,  55.  cloth. 

"This  is  another  of  Mr.  Ballantyne's  excellent  stories  for  the  young.  They  are 
all  well  written,  full  of  romantic  incidents,  and  are  of  no  doubtful  moral  tendency ; 
on  the  contrary,  they  are  invariably  found  to  embody  sentiments  of  true  piety,  and 
manliness  and  virtue." — Inverness  Advertiser. 


HYMNS  OF  FAITH  AND  HOPE.    By  HORATIUS  BONAR, 

D.D.     First,  Second,  and  Third  Series,     Crown  8vo,  each  55.  cloth.     Also, 
Pocket  Editions,  Royal  321110,  each  is.  6d.     Also  a  Royal  Edition,  printed  at 
the  Chiswick  Press,  and  handsomely  bound.     Post  8vo,  js.  6d.  cloth. 
"There  is  a  freshness  and  vigour,  an  earnestness  and  a  piety  in  these  compo- 
sitions,  which  is  very  gratifying.     The  language  is  highly  poetical." — Evangelical 
Christendom . 


ILLUSTRATIVE   GATHERINGS    FOR   PREACH- 
ERS AND    TEACHERS.      By  the  Rev.   G.   S.   BOWES,  B.A.     First  and 
Second  Series,  Small  Crown  8vo,  each,  35.  6d.  cloth. 
"Its  tone  is  thoroughly  evangelical  and  spiritual,  and  it  is  fitted  to  furnish  useful 

hints  and  illustrations  to  the  Christian  teacher." — Christian  Witness. 


ENGLISH  HEARTS  AND  ENGLISH  HANDS  ;   or, 

The  Railway  and  the  Trenches.   By  the  Author  of  "  Memorials  of  Captain  Hed- 

ley  Vicars."  Smail  Crown  8vo,  55.  cloth.  Also  a  Cheaper  Edition,  25.  cloth  limp. 

"  The  Memorials  of  Vicars  and  these  Memorials  of  the  Crystal  Palace  Navvies 

are  books  of  precisely  the  same  type,  and  must  not  be  overlooked.     We  recognize 

in  them  an  honesty  of  purpose,  a  purity  of  heart,  and  a  warmth  of  human  affection, 

combined  with  a  religious  faith,  that  are  very  beautiful." — Times. 


THE  EXETER  HALL  LECTURES  TO  YOUNG 

MEN,  from  their  commencement  in  1845-6,  to  their  termination  in  1864-5,  all 
uniformly  printed,  and  handsomely  bound  in  cloth,  and  embellished  with  por- 
traits of  the  Friends  and  Patrons  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association. 
Complete  in  20  vols.,  price  of  each  volume,  45.  ;  or  the  whole  series  for  ^3. 


MATTHEW  HENRY'S  COMMENTARY  ON  THE 

HOLY  BIBLE,  comprising  upwards  of  7000  Pages,  well  printed  (the  Notes  as 
well  as  the  Text  in  clear  and  distinct  type)  on  good  paper,  forming  Nine 
Imperial  8vo  volumes,  and  handsomely  bound  in  cloth.  Price  ^3  35.  cloth. 


The  work  may  also  be  had  in  a  variety  of  extra  bindings,  of  which  a  list 
will  be  forwarded  on  application. 


THE  REV.  THOS.    SCOTT'S   COMMENTARY   ON 

THE  HOLY  BIBLE,  comprising  Marginal  References,  a  copious  Topical 
Index,  Fifteen  Maps,  and  Sixty-nine  Engravings,  illustrative  of  Scripture 
Incidents  and  Scenery.  Complete  in  6  vols.  410,  published  at  £4  45.,  now 
offered  for  £2  IDS. 

THE    BIBLE    MANUAL  :     an   Expository  and    Practical 

Commentary  on  the  Books  of  Scripture,  arranged  in  Chronological  Order  : 
forming  a  Hand  book  of  Biblical  Elucidation  for  the  use  of  Families,  Schools, 
and  Students  of  the  Word  of  God.  Translated  from  the  German  Work, 
edited  by  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  C.  G.  BARTH,  of  Calw,  Wurtemberg.  Imperial 
8vo,  las.  cloth. 


WORKS  PUBLISHED  BY 


THE  WORD  SERIES. 

By  ELIZABETH  WETHERALL  and  ANNA  LOTHROP,  Authors  of  "The  Wide  Wide 
World,"  "Dollars  and  Cents,"  etc.      Uniform  with  the    "Golden  Ladder" 
Series,  with  Coloured  Illustrations.     Crown  8vo,  each  35.  6d.  cloth. 
"The  aim  of  this  series  of  volumes  is  so  to  set  forth  the  Bible  incidents  and  course 

of  history,  with  its  train  of  actors,  as  to  see  them  in  the  circumstances  and  colouring, 

the  light  and  shade  of  their  actual  existence." 

1.  WALKS  FROM  EDEN:  The  Scripture  Story  from  the 

Creation  to  the  Death  of  Abraham. 

2.  THE    HOUSE    OF    ISRAEL:    The    Scripture    Story 

from  the  Birth  of  Isaac  to  the  Death  of  Jacob. 

3.  THE     STAR     OUT     OF     JACOB:    The    Scripture 

Story  Illustrating  the  Earlier  Portion  of  the  Gospel  Narrative. 

THE  GOLDEN  LADDER  SERIES. 

Uniform  in  size  and  binding,  with  eight  coloured  Illustrations.     Crown  8vo,  cloth. 

1.  THE  GOLDEN  LADDER:   Stories  Illustrative  of  the 

Eight  Beatitudes.     By  ELIZABETH  and  ANNA  WARNER.     35.  6d. 

2.  THE     WIDE    WIDE     WORLD.      By    ELIZABETH 

WARNER.     35.  6d. 

3.  QUEECHY.     By  the  same.     35.  6d. 

4.  MELBOURNE  HOUSE.     By  the  same.     35.  6d. 

5.  DAISY.     By  the  same.     33.  6d. 

6.  THE  OLD  HELMET.     By  the  same.     33.  6d. 

7.  THE  THREE   LITTLE  SPADES.      By  the  same. 

8.  NETTIE'S  MISSION:   Stories  Illustrative  of  the  Lord's 

Prayer.     By  ALICE  GRAY.     35.  6d. 

9.  DAISY  IN  THE  FIELD.     By   ELIZABETH  WARNER. 

3s  6d. 

10.  STEPPING   HEAVENWARD.     By  Mrs.   PRENTISS. 

Author  of  "  Little  Susy."     as.  6d. 

11.  WHAT  SHE  COULD,  AND  OPPORTUNITIES. 

Tales  by  ELIZABETH  WARNER.    35.  6d. 

12.  GLEN    LUNA;    or,   Dollars    and    Cents.       By   ANNA 

WARNER.     35.  6d. 

13.  DRAYTONHALL.  Stories  Illustrative  of  the  Beatitudes. 

ALICE   GRAY.    35.  6d. 

14.  WITHOUT  AND  WITHIN.     A  New  EnglandStory. 

15.  VINEGAR     HILL     STORIES.     Illustrative  of    the 

Parable  of  the  Sower.     By  ANNA  WARNER.     35.  6d. 

16.  THE    HOUSE  IN  TOWN.     A   Sequel  to    « Oppor- 

tunities."     By  ELIZABETH  WARNER.    25.  6d. 

17.  LITTLE     SUNBEAMS.       Stories     by    JOANNA     H. 

MATTHEWS.    35.  6d. 


JAMES  NISBET   AND  CO. 


THE  ONE  SHILLING  JUVENILE  SERIES. 

Uniform  in  size  and  binding,  i6mo,  Illustrations,  each  is.  cloth. 


1.  CHANGES  UPON  CHURCH  BELLS.    ByC.S.H. 

2.  GONZALEZ  AND  HIS  WAKING  DREAMS.    By 

C.  S.  H. 

3.  DAISY  BRIGHT.     By  EMMA  MARSHALL. 

4.  HELEN  ;  or,  Temper  and  its  Consequences.     By  Mrs.  G. 

GLADSTONE. 

5.  THE  CAPTAIN'S  STORY;  or,  The  Disobedient  Son. 

By  W.  S.  MARTIN. 

6.  THE  LITTLE  PEATCUTTERS  ;  or,  The  Song  of 

Love.     By  EMMA  MARSHALL. 

7.  LITTLE  CROWNS,  AND  HOW  TO  WIN  THEM. 

By  the  Rev.  J.  A.  COLLIER. 

8.  CHINA  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.    By  a  MISSIONARY'S  WIFE. 

9.  TEDDY'S  DREAM  ;  or,  A  Little  Sweep's  Mission. 

10.  ELDER  PARK;   or,   Scenes  in  our  Garden.      By  Mrs. 

ALFRED  PAYNE,  Author  of  "  Nature's  Wonders." 

11.  HOME    LIFE   AT    GREYSTONE    LODGE.     By 

the  Author  of  "  Agnes  Falconer." 

12.  THE  PEMBERTON  FAMILY,  and  other  Stories. 

13.  CHRISTMAS   AT    SUNBURY   DALE.      By  W. 

B.  B.,  Author  of  "Clara  Downing's  Dream." 

14.  PRIMROSE;   or,  The    Bells   of  Old   Effingham.      By 

Mrs.  MARSHALL. 

15.  THE  BOY  GUARDIAN.     By  the  Author  of  "Dick 

and  his  Donkey." 

1 6.  VIOLET'S  IDOL.     By  JOANNA  H.  MATTHEWS. 

17.  FRANK  GORDON.     By  the  Author  of  "  The  Young 

Marooners."    And  LITTLE  JACK'S  FOUR  LESSONS.    By  the  Author 
of  "  The  Golden  Ladder." 

18.  THE  COTTAGE  BY  THE  CREEK.     BytheHon. 

MRS.  CLIFFORD-BUTLER. 

19.  THE  WILD  BELLS  AND  WHAT  THEY  RANG. 

By  W.  S.  MARTIN. 

20.  TO-DAY  AND  YESTERDAY.     A  Story  of  Winter 

and  Summer  Holidays.     By  Mrs.  MARSHALL. 

21.  GLASTONBURY;  or  the  early  British  Christians.     By 

Mrs.  ALFRED  PAYNE, 

22.  MAX  ;  a  Story  of  the  Oberstein  Forest. 


14  WORKS  PUBLISHED  BY 

THE  EIGHTEENPENNY  JUVENILE  SERIES, 

Uniform  in  size  and  binding,  i6mo,  with  Illustrations,  each  is.  6d.  cloth. 


1.  AUNT  EDITH  ;  or,  Love  to  God  the  Best  Motive. 

2.  SUSY'S  SACRIFICE.      By  ALICE  GRAY. 

3.  KENNETH  FORBES;  or,  Fourteen  Ways  of  Studying 

the  Bible. 

4.  LILIES  OF  THE  VALLEY,  and  other  Tales. 

5.  CLARA  STANLEY  ;  or,  a  Summer  among  the  Hills. 

6.  THECHILDREN  OF  BLACKBERRY  HOLLOW. 

7.  HERBERT  PERCY  ;  or,  From  Christmas  to  Easter. 

8.  PASSING  CLOUDS  ;  or,  Love  conquering  Evil. 

9.  DAYBREAK ;  or,  Right  Struggling  and  Triumphant. 

10.  WARFARE  AND  WORK;  or,  Life's  Progress. 

11.  EVELYN  GREY.     By  the  Author  of  «  Clara  Stanley." 

1 2.  THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  GRAVELYN  FAMILY. 

13.  DONALD  FRASER.  By  the  Author  of"  Bertie  Lee." 

14.  THE  SAFE  COMPASS,  AND  HOW  IT  POINTS. 

By  Rev.  R.  NEWTON,  D.D. 

15.  THE   KING'S    HIGHWAY;   or,  Illustrations  of  the 

Commandments.     By  the  same. 

1 6.  BESSIE    AT    THE    SEASIDE.      By    JOANNA    H. 

MATTHEWS. 

17.  CASPER.       By   the   Authors    of  "The    Wide   Wide 

World,"  etc. 

1 8.  KARL   KRINKEN  ;  or,  The  Christmas  Stocking.     By 

the  same. 

19.  MR.  RUTHERFORD'S  CHILDREN.    By  the  same. 

20.  SYBIL  AND  CHRYSSA.     By  the  same. 


JAMES    NISBET   AND  CO. 


THE  EIGHTEEN  PENNY  JUVENILE  SERIES-Co»tf*K«*. 

21.  HARD  MAPLE.     By  the  same. 

22.  OUR  SCHOOL  DAYS.     Edited  by  C.  S.  H. 

23.  AUNT  MILDRED'S  LEGACY.     By  the  Author  of 

"  The  Best  Cheer,"  etc. 

24.  MAGGIE   AND    BESSIE,   AND   THEIR   WAY 

TO  DO  GOOD.    By  JOANNA  H.  MATTHEWS. 

25.  GRACE  BUXTON;   or,  The    Light  of  Home.      By 

EMMA  MARSHALL. 

26.  LITTLE    KATY  AND  JOLLY   JIM.      By  ALICE 

GRAY. 

27.  BESSIE  AT  SCHOOL.     By  JOANNA  H.  MATTHEWS. 

28.  BESSIE  AND  HER  FRIENDS.    By  the  same. 

29.  BESSIE  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS.     By  the  same. 

30.  HILDA  AND  HILDEBRAND  ;    or,  The  Twins  of 

Ferndale  Abbey. 

31.  GLEN  ISLA.     By  Mrs.  DRUMMOND. 

32.  LUCY  SEYMOUR  ;  or,  «  It  is  more  Blessed  to  give  than 

to  receive."     By  the  same. 

33.  LOUISA  MORETON;  or,  "Children,  obey  your  Parents 

in  all  things."    By  the  same. 

34.  THE    WILMOT    FAMILY  ;   or,    «  They   that   deal 

truly  are  His  delight."     By  the  same. 

35.  SOWING  IN  TEARS,  AND  REAPING  IN  JOY. 

By  FRANZ  HOFFMANN.    Translated  from  the  German  by  Mrs.  FABER. 

36.  BESSIE    ON    HER    TRAVELS.      By    JOANNA    H. 

MATTHEWS. 

37.  LITTLE  NELLIE  ;   or,  The  Clockmaker's  Daughter. 

38.  THREE  LITTLE  SISTERS.      By   Mrs.  MARSHALL, 

Author  of  "  Daisy  Bright." 

39.  MABEL  GRANT.     A  Highland  Story. 

40.  THE  RETURN  FROM  INDIA.     By  the  Author  of 

"  Hilda  and  Hildebrand,"  Ac. 

41.  THE  COURT  AND  THE  KILN.    A  Story  founded 

on  the  Church  Catechism. 

42.  SILVER  SANDS;  or,  Pennie's  Romance.    By  G.  E.  E. 

CRAMPTON. 

43.  LIONEL  ST  CLAIR.     By  the  Author  of  "Herbert 

Percy." 


1 6    WORKS  PUBLISHED  BY  JAMES  N1SBET  AND  CO. 

THE  SELECT  SERIES. 

Crown  8vo,  each  35.  6d.  cloth.     Bound  by  BURN.     Most  of  them  with  Illustrations. 

1.  DERRY.      A  Tale  of  the  Revolution.     By  CHARLOTTE 

ELIZABETH. 

2.  THE  LAND  OF  THE  FORUM  AND  THE 

VATICAN.     By  the  Rev.  NEWMAN  HALL,  LL.  B. 

3.  THE  LISTENER.     By  CAROLINE  FRY. 

4.  DAYS  AND  NIGHTS  IN  THE  EAST  ;  or,  Illus- 

trations  of  Bible  Scenes.     By  the  Rev.  HORATIUS  BONAR,  D.D. 

$.  BEECHENHURST.     A  Tale.     By  A.  G.,  Author  of 

"Among  the  Mountains,"  etc. 

6.  THE  HOLY  WAR.     By  JOHN  BUNYAN. 

7.  THE  PILGRIM'S  PROGRESS.     By  JOHN  BUNYAN. 

8.  THE    MOUNTAINS    OF    THE    BIBLE ;     Their 

Scenes  and  their  Lessons.     By  the  Rev.  JOHN  MACFARLANE,  LL.D. 

9.  THROUGH    DEEP    WATERS;    or,    Seeking    and 

Finding.     An  Autobiography. 

10.  HOME  AND    FOREIGN    SERVICE;    or,  Pictures 

in  Active  Christian  Life. 

11.  LIFE.     A  Series  of  Illustrations  of  the  Divine  Wisdom 

in  the    Forms,    Structures,   and   Instincts  of  Animals.      By  PHILLIP   H. 
GOSSE,  F.R.S. 

12.  LAND  AND  SEA.     By  P.  H.  GOSSE,  F.R.S. 

13.  JOHN    KNOX  AND  HIS  TIMES.     By  the  Author 

of  "  The  Story  of  Martin  Luther,"  etc. 

14.  HOME  IN  THE  HOLY  LAND.     By  Mrs.  FINN. 

15.  A    THIRD    YEAR    IN   JERUSALEM.      A  Tale 

Illustrating  Incidents  and  Customs  in  Modern  Jerusalem.     By  Mrs.  FINN. 

i6&  17.  THE  ROMANCE  OF  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

By  P.  H.  GOSSE,  F.R.S.     First  and  Second  Series. 

18.  BYEWAYS  IN  PALESTINE.    By  JAMES  FINN,  Esq. 

F.R.A.S.,  late  H    M.  Consul  of  Jerusalem  and  Palestine. 

19.  HEADS  AND  TALES  ;  or,  Anecdotes  and  Stories  of 

Quadrupeds  and  other  Beasts,  as  connected  with  the  Histories  of  more  or 
less  distinguished  men.   Selected  and  written  by  ADAM  WHITE,  Duddingston. 

20.  BLOOMFIELD.      A    Tale    by    ELIZABETH    WARREN, 

Author  of  "  John  Knox  and  his  Times,"  &c. 

21.  TALES  FROM  ALSACE;   or,   Scenes  and  Portraits 

from  Life  in  the  Days  of  the  Reformation,  as  drawn  from  old  Chronicles. 
Translated  from  the  German. 

22.  HYMNS  OF  THE  CHURCH  MILITANT.    Edited 

by  the  Author  of  "The  Wide  Wide  World." 

23.  THE    PHYSICIAN'S     DAUGHTERS:     or,    The 

Spring  Time  of  Woman.     By  the  Author  of  "  Wandering  Homes  and  their 
Influences,"  &c. 

Henderson,  Rait  &*  Fenton,  Printers,  23,  Berners  Street,  Oxford  Street. 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 
Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 


!6Apr'64Ll 


v      :. 


JAN  1  8  200; 


LD  21A-40m-ll,'63 
(E1602slO)476B 


General  Library 

University  of  California 

Berkeley 


Y8  72745 


